A major milestone under Project Seabird will be reached today when Defence Minister Rajnath Singh officially opens the recently constructed infrastructure at the Karwar Naval Base in Karnataka.
By adding cutting-edge facilities and operational capabilities, this expansion seeks to strengthen India’s maritime security.
In an initial attempt to improve regional cooperation and guarantee maritime safety in the Indian Ocean Region (IOR), the Indian Navy launched the Indian Ocean Ship (IOS) Sagar initiative at the same time as the event.
The program encourages regional stability and collaboration among IOR countries, which is in line with India’s SAGAR (Security and Growth for All in the Region) vision.
With 44 crew members from nine friendly countries—Comoros, Kenya, Madagascar, Maldives, Mauritius, Mozambique, Seychelles, Sri Lanka, and Tanzania—INS Sunayna will be sent out.
In addition to joint surveillance of Tanzania, Mozambique, Mauritius, and Seychelles’ exclusive economic zones, the month-long deployment includes port calls at Dar es Salaam, Nacala, Port Louis, Port Victoria, and Male.
Seychelles.
Up to 32 large warships and submarines will be able to dock at the Karwar Naval Base as part of the Phase-IIA expansion of Project Seabird. The goal of this strategic base is to become the biggest naval base in Asia, boosting India’s operational readiness and facilitating humanitarian and commercial endeavors.
The Naval Commanders’ Conference 2025 at Karwar also begins with the inauguration. In addition to addressing strategic and operational concerns, this event will highlight India’s naval capabilities’ modernization and independence.
