Indian Navy’s 1st Training Squadron Strengthens Maritime Bonds in IOR Visits

At La Réunion, INS Tir and ICGS Sarathi engaged with the French Navy in a series of bilateral professional exchanges.

The ships of the Indian Navy’s First Training Squadron (1TS) — INS Tir, ICGS Sarathi, and INS Shardul — concluded significant overseas engagements with simultaneous port calls at La Réunion (French territory) and Port Louis, Mauritius, before departing on 11 September 2025. The visits underscored India’s growing maritime partnerships in the Indian Ocean Region (IOR), reaffirming the Navy’s commitment to capacity building, joint training, and cooperative security under the vision of MAHASAGAR.

Strengthening Ties with the French Navy at La Réunion

At La Réunion, INS Tir and ICGS Sarathi engaged with the French Navy in a series of bilateral professional exchanges. Highlights included:

• A PASSEX (Passing Exercise) with the Floreal-class frigate FS Le Malin, featuring coordinated manoeuvres, advanced navigation drills, and communications exercises.

• Joint diving operations and cross-training visits, allowing personnel to exchange expertise in underwater operations.

• Visits by trainees to CROSS (Centre Régional Opérationnel de Surveillance et de Sauvetage), a key French maritime surveillance and rescue centre, and a naval workshop, offering valuable insights into regional search and rescue (SAR) operations and maintenance practices.

• Cultural and social engagements, including yoga sessions, friendly sports fixtures, and social interactions that deepened bonds of camaraderie between the navies.

These activities highlighted the shared commitment of India and France to ensuring maritime safety, security, and environmental stewardship in the IOR.

Deepening Maritime Partnership with Mauritius

Meanwhile, at Port Louis, INS Shardul reinforced India’s longstanding maritime cooperation with the Mauritius National Coast Guard (NCG). Key activities included:

• Professional exchanges, such as diving operations, firefighting drills, and damage-control exercises.

• Shipboard familiarisation and cross-deck visits, fostering interoperability between Indian and Mauritian crews.

• Joint EEZ surveillance operations with MCGS Valiant, ensuring maritime security and resource protection in the region.

• A PASSEX and cross-boarding exercise, demonstrating seamless coordination between the two forces.

Beyond operational drills, INS Shardul also engaged in community outreach:

• Hosting school children, members of the Indian diaspora, and Mauritian citizens, offering them first-hand experience of naval life.

• Organising yoga sessions, sports fixtures, and community service initiatives, strengthening people-to-people ties alongside military cooperation.

Symbol of Enduring Partnerships

The dual port calls highlight the Indian Navy’s proactive role in regional maritime diplomacy, ensuring security and stability in the Indian Ocean while nurturing bonds of trust and friendship with partner nations.

These visits are part of the Navy’s broader capacity-building initiatives, providing 1TS trainees with invaluable exposure to multilateral maritime environments while also demonstrating India’s commitment to cooperative security frameworks.

By conducting simultaneous engagements at La Réunion and Mauritius, the Indian Navy showcased its operational reach, diplomatic outreach, and the ethos of “bridges of friendship across the seas.”