New Delhi: Over the past decade, India has steadily expanded its maritime vision, evolving from the regional focus of SAGAR — Security and Growth for All in the Region — to the globally aligned MAHASAGAR doctrine, with the Indo-Pacific at its strategic core.
Unveiled by Prime Minister Narendra Modi in March 2015 during the commissioning of the Mauritius Coast Guard vessel Barracuda, the SAGAR framework underscored the Indian Ocean’s critical role — carrying two-thirds of global oil shipments and hosting 40 per cent of the world’s population along its shores.
The policy prioritised the security of India’s mainland and island territories, deepening cooperation with maritime neighbours, promoting sustainable development, and enhancing regional maritime engagement.
Complemented domestically by the Sagarmala port-led development initiative, SAGAR, marked India’s shift from a continental to a maritime outlook.
Over the years, the Indian Navy has built strong credentials as a “net security provider” in the Indian Ocean Region (IOR), responding to disasters such as the 2004 tsunami, Cyclone Nargis in 2008, and the Maldives’ 2014 water crisis, while strengthening ties through joint exercises, capacity building, and humanitarian missions.
India’s maritime diplomacy has grown into robust Indo-Pacific engagement.
Since the 2018 Shangri-La Dialogue, where PM Modi articulated India’s vision for a free, open, inclusive Indo-Pacific with ASEAN centrality, New Delhi has launched initiatives such as the Indo-Pacific Oceans Initiative (IPOI) and deepened ties through the Quad.
Regional engagement extends through forums like the East Asia Summit, Indian Ocean Rim Association, Indian Ocean Naval Symposium, Colombo Security Conclave, and MILAN exercises, along with white shipping agreements and the Information Fusion Centre–IOR in Gurugram.
The Ministry of External Affairs’ 2024 Annual Report underlined multi-faceted engagement with ASEAN and other regional bodies, highlighting the upgrade of India–ASEAN ties to a Comprehensive Strategic Partnership and cooperation in trade, technology, and cultural exchange.
In March 2025, marking a decade since SAGAR’s launch, PM Modi unveiled MAHASAGAR — Mutual and Holistic Advancement for Security and Growth Across Regions — in Mauritius.
While SAGAR focused on the IOR, MAHASAGAR expands the vision globally, with particular emphasis on partnerships across the Global South.
It signals India’s intent to be a “preferred security partner” and a driver of inclusive maritime growth worldwide.
From safeguarding regional waters to shaping global maritime norms, India’s journey from SAGAR to MAHASAGAR reflects its transformation into a proactive, responsible maritime power with ambitions stretching far beyond its own shores.
(IANS)
