INS Tarkash concludes port call at Port Victoria, Seychelles

📌 Summary:

• INS Tarkash, a stealth frigate of the Indian Navy, departed Port Victoria, Seychelles, on 15 June 2026 after a port call, for further deployment
• The visit involved professional exchanges, community outreach and diplomatic engagements to strengthen the India–Seychelles maritime partnership
• The ship's medical team ran a humanitarian outreach for elderly locals (first aid, consultations, medicines and food supplies); the ship was opened to visitors and the Indian diaspora
• A cultural evening onboard was attended by the Vice President of Seychelles, Mr Alix Sebastien Pillay, and the diplomatic corps
• The visit reaffirmed India's commitment to maritime cooperation, regional security and the vision of MAHASAGAR (Mutual and Holistic Advancement for Security and Growth Across Regions)

🎯 UPSC Relevance: GS3 Internal/Maritime Security & GS2 IR — Indian Ocean Region (IOR) outreach, naval/defence diplomacy, MAHASAGAR

📝 Prelims Facts:

• INS Tarkash: stealth frigate of the Indian Navy
• Port call at Port Victoria, Seychelles (departed 15 June 2026)
• MAHASAGAR = Mutual and Holistic Advancement for Security and Growth Across Regions (successor vision to SAGAR)

🔑 Key Term: MAHASAGAR — India's maritime-security vision for the Indian Ocean Region, an evolution of the earlier SAGAR doctrine