Sailing Strong: Indian Navy’s Eastern Fleet Drops Anchor, Waves Hello to Singapore

Key highlights

 

Four Indian Navy Eastern Fleet ships—INS Delhi, INS Satpura, INS Shakti, and INS Kiltan—arrived in Singapore on July 16, 2025, under the command of Rear Admiral Susheel Menon, as part of a large operational deployment to Southeast Asia. The high-visibility visit marks an important milestone in India's maritime engagement and strategic outreach in the Indo-Pacific.

 

Strategic Purpose and Regional Engagement

 

The port call falls under India's extended 'Act East' and 'Security and Growth for All in the Region' (SAGAR) strategy, highlighting New Delhi's vision for greater cooperation, stability, and free sea lanes in the Indo-Pacific.

 

The deployment aims to enhance regional maritime security, promote strong multilateral relationships, and increase India's operational preparedness in key sea lines of communication between Southeast Asia and the Western Pacific.

 

Collaboration and Activities

 

As part of the Singapore port call, Indian and Singaporean naval officials will engage in joint professional exchanges, intellectual discussions with maritime academies, and community outreach programs—enhancing people-to-people ties and exchange of knowledge between the countries.

 

Shore-based interactions will feature ship visits from Republic of Singapore Navy officials and joint workshops, highlighting more than three decades of close operational relationship and mutual training.

 

Legacy of Cooperation

 

India and Singapore have a long history of naval cooperation, such as annual bilateral exercises (such as SIMBEX), white-shipping agreements, exchange programs, and frequent port visits.

 

This long-standing alliance has emerged as a cornerstone of a rules-based maritime order and collective security framework in the Indo-Pacific, particularly as regional security dynamics continue to shift.

 

Showcasing Naval Capability

 

The fleet includes India's first indigenously constructed destroyer (INS Delhi), a stealth frigate (INS Satpura), a fleet support tanker (INS Shakti), and a sophisticated anti-submarine corvette (INS Kiltan)—highlighting Indian naval capability, self-sufficiency, and blue-water operational capability. Looking Ahead

 

The visit to Singapore highlights India's increasing dedication to peaceful, secure, and inclusive maritime relationships.

 

As global trade, security, and connectivity grow more intertwined, India's proactive naval diplomacy with Singapore and other ASEAN countries reinforces its position as a trusted regional partner and rules-based order proponent.

 

Sources: IANS, Press Information Bureau, Devdiscourse