Indian Navy’s first training squadron arrives at Réunion island, Mauritius

Ships of the Indian Navy’s first training squadron (1TS), INS Tir and ICGS Sarathi, arrived at Réunion island, while INS Shardul reached Port Louis, Mauritius, on September 8, as part of their long-range training deployment in the southwest Indian Ocean Region.

At Réunion island, the ships were welcomed by French Navy ship FS Nivose with a ‘passage exercise’. The visit features professional interactions, including cross-training visits, joint diving exercises, yoga sessions, and sports fixtures, furthering the India-France naval partnership. The senior officer of the 1TS, also called on the French Naval Base Commander and the Commandant Supérieur des FAZSOI, with discussions centred on regional security, future joint exercises, and maritime cooperation.

Simultaneously, the INS Shardul conducted joint patrolling and Exclusive Economic Zone surveillance with MCGS Victory and a Mauritius Coast Guard Dornier, before arriving at Port Louis. During the port call, the Commanding Officer of INS Shardul met the senior Mauritian leadership, reaffirming the strong bonds of trust and professional cooperation between India and Mauritius, the Indian Navy said.

The concurrent port of calls of the 1TS highlight India’s commitment to “maritime collaboration, interoperability, and regional stability, aligned with the vision of MAHASAGAR”, and the Indian Navy’s enduring role in building bridges of friendship across the Indian Ocean Region, the Navy said in a statement.

Meanwhile, INS Surat, the Indian Navy’s latest indigenous guided missile destroyer, mission deployed in the north Arabian Sea, participated in a passage exercise with ITS Caio Duilio, an Andrea Doria class destroyer of the Italian Navy, on September 7.

The exercise featured complex tactical manoeuvres, aircraft tracking, seamanship evolutions, communication drills, and flying operations, including cross-deck helicopter landings. The PASSEX concluded with a ceremonial steampast, where the two navies exchanged traditional courtesies at sea.