Mauritius: INS Tarkash concludes port call, reaffirms close ties
Port Louis, June 23
Indian Naval Ship Tarkash, a stealth frigate of the Indian Navy, has concluded its call at Port Louis in Mauritius and proceeded on its planned deployment in the South West Indian Ocean Region.
During the visit, the ship's company participated in a range of harbour activities, including a friendly yet keenly contested volleyball match and professional training capsules for personnel of the Mauritius National Coast Guard.
The capsules focused on harbour and sea watchkeeping, firefighting, damage control, and other aspects of maritime safety and seamanship were conducted.
"The initiative reflects India's continued commitment towards capacity building and capability enhancement of friendly maritime forces in the region," the Ministry of Defence said.
The ship was also opened to visitors on 21 June 2026, drawing approximately 450 members of the Indian diaspora and the local community, further strengthening people‑to‑people ties.
Captain Rohit Mishra, Commanding Officer of Tarkash, called on Rampersad Sooroojebally, PMSM, Commissioner of Police, and Anurag Srivastava, High Commissioner of India to Mauritius. The ship additionally hosted personnel of the Mauritius National Coast Guard for a yoga session on June 21 to commemorate the International Day of Yoga 2026.
The visit reaffirmed the close and enduring ties between India and Mauritius and underscored India's commitment to enhancing maritime cooperation, regional security and the vision of (=Mutual and Holistic Advancement for Security and Growth Across Regions (MAHASAGAR).
"The visit is aimed at strengthening maritime cooperation and furthering bilateral relations between India and Mauritius," said the Ministry.
On June 15, the stealth frigate concluded its port call at Port Victoria, Seychelles.
"During her stay, the ship undertook a series of professional exchanges, community outreach and diplomatic engagements aimed at strengthening the long-standing friendship and maritime partnership between India and Seychelles," noted the Indian Navy.
A cultural evening was also conducted onboard the ship, with Alix Sebastien Pillay, Vice President of Seychelles, along with members of the diplomatic corps, representatives from the High Commission of India and other guests in attendance.
"The visit reaffirmed the close and enduring ties between the two nations and underscored India's commitment to enhancing maritime cooperation, regional security and the vision of MAHASAGAR", noted the Indian Navy.
— IANS
Reader Comments
Good to see our Navy engaging with the Indian diaspora too - 450 visitors on board shows how much our people abroad value these connections. The yoga session for International Yoga Day was a nice touch. Hope these exchanges continue to grow.
It is impressive how India combines naval diplomacy with cultural outreach. The training capsules for Mauritius Coast Guard on firefighting and damage control are genuinely valuable. Countries in the Indian Ocean region benefit from this approach.
Excellent initiative! But I do hope these visits translate into concrete agreements - not just photo ops. Training is good, but Mauritius needs tangible support for maritime surveillance too. China is making moves in the region and we need to match that.
Volleyball match, yoga session, cultural evening - this is how you build lasting relationships! 🇮🇳🤝🇲🇺 The Indian Navy is really doing a fantastic job in the Indian Ocean region. Proud of Captain Mishra and his team.
MAHASAGAR is a clever acronym but what matters is implementation. The fact that INS Tarkash also visited Seychelles shows India is consistent in its approach. Capacity building for smaller navies is the right strategy for regional security.
As someone with family
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