India is committed to capacity building, maritime cooperation and working towards the Act East Policy, which is why Navy recently announced that its First Training Squadron (1TS) will be on a Long Range Training Deployment (LRTD) to the region. Furthering the move and reinforcing ASEAM maritime ties, 1TS have reached Changi Naval Base, Singapore.
Providing a fresh operational push to India’s maritime outreach in Southeast Asia, the Indian Navy’s First Training Squadron arrived in Singapore on January 15, 2026, marking a key moment in New Delhi’s expanding naval diplomacy across the Indo-Pacific. The squadron comprises INS Tir, INS Shardul, INS Sujata, and Indian Coast Guard Ship Sarathi.
Notably, the deployment of 1TS comes at a strategically significant time, with 2026 being observed as the ‘ASEAN–India Year of Maritime Cooperation’ and India currently at the helm of the Indian Ocean Naval Symposium (IONS).
Indian Navy’s 1TS in the southeast Indian Ocean
According to the Ministry of Defence, Navy’s First Training Squadron’s Singapore outreach is part of a broader training deployment to the South East Indian Ocean Region. The port call at Changi Naval Base serves both operational and diplomatic objectives, offering young naval trainees exposure to regional maritime practices while strengthening professional bonds with the Republic of Singapore Navy (RSN).
As part of its deployment, the squadron will undertake port calls at Singapore, Indonesia and Thailand — key maritime partners in Southeast Asia. These visits will feature professional exchanges with host navies, cross-deck training and ship visits, interactions with maritime and naval experts, joint maritime partnership exercises.
In their Singapore visit, personnel from the Indian Navy and the RSN are engaged in a series of harbour-based professional interactions aimed at enhancing operational understanding and interoperability. Planned activities include structured training exchanges, joint yoga sessions, and sports fixtures between trainees of both the Navies.
These engagements are designed to build trust at the operational level and prepare future naval leaders for collaborative maritime security challenges.
Information sharing and maritime domain awareness
Senior officers of the First Training Squadron also held interactions with the Commander of Singapore’s Maritime Training and Doctrine Command, while International Liaison Officers from the Information Fusion Centre (IFC) shared insights on information-sharing mechanisms and maritime domain awareness.
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Trainees visited the Information Fusion Centre and the RSN Museum, gaining first-hand exposure to Singapore’s approach to regional maritime security and cooperative surveillance — a critical pillar of modern naval operations.
Cultural diplomacy and community outreach
Beyond drills and discussions, the port visit carries a strong people-to-people dimension. The Indian Naval Band performed at public venues, while Indian naval ships were opened for school visits, showcasing life at sea and naval professionalism. Crew members also participated in community outreach at the Sree Narayana Old Age and Nursing Home.
India’s High Commissioner to Singapore, Dr Shilpak Ambule, interacted with the trainees on arrival, encouraging them as ambassadors of India’s maritime ethos.
Aligning Act East, IONS and MAHASAGAR
The Ministry of Defence highlighted that the visit reinforces India’s Act East Policy and reflects New Delhi’s commitment to strengthening maritime partnerships with ASEAN nations. 1TS’ Singapore port call also underlines India’s leadership role in the Indian Ocean Naval Symposium (IONS) and its broader MAHASAGAR vision, which emphasises cooperative security, shared maritime awareness and collective growth across the Indian Ocean Region.
As India steers IONS through a period of evolving security challenges, such engagements signal its intent to remain a net security provider and a trusted maritime partner in the Indo-Pacific.