INS Sandhayak Docks at Singapore’s Changi Naval Base on National Day, Boosting Maritime Ties.
Singapore:
In a significant milestone for regional maritime cooperation, Indian Naval Ship (INS) Sandhayak — India’s first indigenously designed Survey Vessel Large (SVL) — arrived at Changi Naval Base, Singapore, today on the occasion of Singapore’s National Day. The three-day port call underlines India’s commitment to strengthening bilateral hydrographic and naval relations in the Indo-Pacific region.
Commissioned in February 2024 in the presence of the Defence Minister, INS Sandhayak represents a new era in Indian naval capability. Equipped with state-of-the-art hydrographic survey equipment, the ship has both coastal and deep-sea surveying capabilities. It is also built to undertake Search and Rescue (SAR) operations and humanitarian assistance missions, featuring onboard helicopter operations and medical facilities.
The visit to Singapore is Sandhayak’s maiden international deployment and serves as a platform for professional and technical exchanges with the Royal Singapore Navy (RSN) and Singapore’s hydrographic community.
Key engagements during the visit include a meeting between the Commanding Officer of INS Sandhayak and Gary Chew, Assistant Chief Hydrographer of Singapore, as well as a courtesy call on Colonel Chauah Meng Soon, Commander of the RSN’s 9th Flotilla.
The schedule also features interaction and capability demonstrations for Royal Singapore Navy personnel, highlighting India’s advancements in hydrographic surveying under the Indian Navy’s Hydrographic Department. Additionally, the ship will host school children and families of the staff from the High Commission of India in Singapore, fostering greater community engagement and people-to-people ties.
This diplomatic and professional outreach showcases India’s growing leadership in maritime diplomacy and its active role in enhancing regional hydrographic capacity. The visit by INS Sandhayak symbolizes India’s vision for an open, inclusive, and cooperative maritime domain in the Indo-Pacific.