The third edition of MAHASAGAR virtually hosted by the Indian Navy

The Indian Navy conducted its third bi-annual interaction, ‘MAHASAGAR’, with the head of foreign Navies on 5 November 2024. The Indian Navy hosted the first high-level virtual interaction, MAHASAGAR, on 29 November 2023. It was hosted by the then-Indian Naval Chief Admiral R. Hari Kumar.

What is MAHASAGAR?

MAHASAGAR stands for Maritime Heads for Active Security And Growth for All in the Region. It is the Indian Navy’s initiative to interact and promote friendly ties with the Navies/maritime agencies of the  Indian Ocean Region littoral countries. The Indian Navy started the initiative in November 2023. 

The initiative is part of the Indian government’s SAGAR 'Security and Growth for All in the Region' initiative. 

Participants of the 3rd MAHASAGAR 

The MAHASAGAR is a virtual event in which the heads of the Navies/maritime agencies and Senior Leadership from the Indian Ocean Region littorals participate. In the 3rd edition, 10 countries—Bangladesh, Comoros, Kenya, Madagascar, Maldives, Mauritius, Mozambique, Seychelles, Sri Lanka, and Tanzania—participated. 

The Chief of Naval Staff of the Indian Navy always heads the interactions, which are conducted virtually.

Chief of Naval Staff Admiral Dinesh Kumar Tripathi chaired the 3rd edition of the MAHASAGAR.

Theme of the 3rd edition of MAHASAGAR

The 3rd MAHASAGAR theme was ‘Training Cooperation to Mitigate Common Maritime Security Challenges in IOR(Indian Ocean Region).”

The theme highlights the need for training and cooperation among the Indian Ocean countries' navies and maritime organisations to tackle the common maritime challenge in the region.

SAGAR 'Security and Growth for All in the Region' initiative 

Prime Minister Narendra Modi announced the SAGAR 'Security and Growth for All in the Region' initiative in 2015 as India’s policy on maritime cooperation in the Indian Ocean region.

The main constituents of the SAGAR policy are as follows;

• It calls for safeguarding India’s mainland and islands,
• Deepening of  economic and security cooperation with our neighbouring countries in the Indian Ocean region,
• Promote collective action with Indian Ocean countries to deal with natural disasters and maritime threats like smuggling,  piracy, terrorism, etc.
• Sustainable regional development through collaboration with the Indian Ocean countries. 
• Deep interaction with other countries is needed to build trust, promote respect for maritime rules and norms, and resolve disputes peacefully.