First Training Squadron ends Seychelles visit: PASSEX, training and MAHASAGAR in action
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Ships of the Indian Navy’s First Training Squadron (1TS), INS Tir and INS Sujata, along with Indian Coast Guard Ship Sarathi, left Port Victoria, Seychelles, on 15 October 2026 after a port call that began on 12 October, the Defence Ministry said on 17 October. The visit included talks with the Seychelles Defence Force chief, training for SDF personnel, a Passage Exercise (PASSEX) with a Seychelles Coast Guard ship and community outreach, in line with India’s MAHASAGAR vision.
- Ships
- INS Tir, INS Sujata, ICGS Sarathi
- Port call
- 12–15 Oct 2026
- Exercise
- PASSEX with SCGS Andromache
- Vision
- MAHASAGAR
1TS in Seychelles: what happened?
Training ships carry young officers who will one day command India’s fleet. When they visit a small island partner, they learn seamanship and also how friendships at sea are built. The Seychelles visit is a neat example of everyday naval diplomacy.
- The Senior Officer of 1TS and the commanding officers called on Maj Gen Michael Rosette, Chief of Defence Forces, Seychelles Defence Force (PIB).
- SDF personnel received firefighting and small-arms training along with cross-training visits.
- A PASSEX with SCGS Andromache covered joint patrolling, communication drills and coordinated manoeuvres.
- Outreach included a medical camp, supplies for the Point La Rue elderly home and a performance by the Navy Band.
Why Seychelles matters to India
- It is an archipelago of 115 islands in the western Indian Ocean, close to key shipping lanes from the Gulf and the Cape of Good Hope.
- Its exclusive economic zone of about 1.3 million sq km is hard for a small country to patrol alone.
- India has supplied patrol vessels and aircraft and supports coastal surveillance radar there.
- Piracy, illegal fishing and drug trafficking are shared concerns.
From SAGAR to MAHASAGAR
| Vision | Year | Idea |
|---|---|---|
| SAGAR | 2015 | Security and Growth for All in the Region (announced in Mauritius) |
| MAHASAGAR | 2025 | Mutual and Holistic Advancement for Security and Growth Across Regions (announced in Mauritius) |
What frames these engagements?
- UNCLOS, 1982: rules on EEZs, freedom of navigation and maritime cooperation.
- Indian Navy’s role as a ‘preferred security partner’ and first responder in the Indian Ocean Region.
- Information Fusion Centre–Indian Ocean Region (IFC-IOR), Gurugram, shares maritime information with partners.
- Article 51 (Directive Principles): promote international peace and security.
What are the challenges?
- Local politics in small island states can make defence cooperation sensitive, as seen in the Assumption Island debate.
- China’s growing presence through loans, ports and research vessels.
- Small partners want development and climate help, not only security.
- India’s own naval assets are stretched across a very large area.
What should be done next?
- Keep training, hydrography and disaster relief at the centre of cooperation.
- Combine security help with climate adaptation and blue economy projects.
- Make regular port calls and exercises predictable and transparent.
- Work with partners such as France and the Indian Ocean Commission.
What can Prelims ask?
- Capital of Seychelles: Victoria (on Mahé island).
- MAHASAGAR: announced in March 2025, expanding the 2015 SAGAR vision.
- PASSEX: a Passage Exercise, a short drill between navies during a visit.
- 1TS: the Indian Navy’s training squadron for officer cadets, based at Kochi.
How to write about maritime diplomacy in Mains
Practice question (10 marks, 150 words): Discuss the significance of island states in India’s Indian Ocean strategy. (GS-II)
- Intro: 1TS visit to Seychelles, Oct 2026.
- Value: sea lanes, EEZ security, first responder role.
- Tools: training, PASSEX, assets, IFC-IOR, MAHASAGAR.
- Challenges: local politics, China, capacity.
- Conclusion: steady, people-centred partnership.
Image: INS Tir entering Port Victoria Harbour, Seychelles (2015). Indian Navy, Wikimedia Commons, Government Open Data Licence – India
How to use this in Mains
If asked: How does the Indian Navy support India’s foreign policy? (GS-II)
Quote: “The deployment underscores the strong bonds of friendship between India and Seychelles and reflects the Indian Navy’s commitment to capacity building and regional partnerships in line with the vision of MAHASAGAR.”
Use it: Quote it, then add HADR and training examples.
If asked: Discuss the role of capacity building in India’s neighbourhood policy. (GS-II)
Quote: “The engagement reinforced the longstanding India-Seychelles partnership through professional training, capacity building, and interactions with the country’s leadership and maritime community.”
Use it: Use it to show partnership beyond aid.
Exam angle
Prelims: MAHASAGAR, Seychelles, PASSEX. · Mains GS-II: India and island states.
Practice MCQs
Original practice questions (not PYQs).
MAHASAGAR, India’s maritime vision, stands for
Answer (b) & explanation
MAHASAGAR expands the SAGAR vision.
Port Victoria, visited by the First Training Squadron in October 2026, is in
Answer (c) & explanation
Victoria is the capital of Seychelles, on Mahé island.
A Passage Exercise (PASSEX) is
Answer (b) & explanation
PASSEX is a short drill to build communication and interoperability.
Questions students ask about this
Which ships visited Seychelles?
INS Tir, INS Sujata and ICGS Sarathi of the First Training Squadron.
When was the visit?
12 to 15 October 2026.
What exercise was held?
A PASSEX with Seychelles Coast Guard Ship Andromache.
What is MAHASAGAR?
India’s vision of Mutual and Holistic Advancement for Security and Growth Across Regions.
Keep studying
Go deeper
Official source: PIB, 17 Oct 2026: First Training Squadron departs Seychelles, reinforcing maritime cooperation
facts from cited sources only; faculty review pending