Why in news?
India-Sri Lanka cooperation under Vision SAGAR has recently seen major activity, including high-level Coast Guard talks and naval exercises, strengthening maritime security, capacity-building, and environmental stewardship in 2025.
 
SLINEX-25 Bilateral Naval Exercise

• The 12th edition of SLINEX (Sri Lanka–India Naval Exercise), held in Colombo from August 14–18, 2025, involved Indian Naval Ships INS Rana and INS Jyoti, and Sri Lankan ships SLNS Sayura and SLNS Vijayabahu.
• The exercise deepened operational interoperability and promoted best practices, reflecting Vision SAGAR’s aim for shared regional security and maritime stability.

India-Sri Lanka Coast Guard Cooperation

• The 8th High-Level Meeting between Indian and Sri Lankan Coast Guards occurred on August 11, 2025, in New Delhi.
• Talks centered on marine pollution response, maritime law enforcement, search and rescue, and technical assistance, enhancing mutual readiness for shared maritime challenges.
• Both sides committed to operational coordination, best practices exchange, and strengthening the regional maritime safety and security framework in line with Vision SAGAR.

The Vision SAGAR framework is closely linked to India’s Neighbourhood First policy, supporting Sri Lanka through generous development initiatives beyond defense, encompassing health, education, infrastructure, and connectivity.
 
About Vision SAGAR
Vision SAGAR, which stands for Security and Growth for All in the Region, is India’s strategic maritime policy focused on the Indian Ocean Region (IOR) to promote security, stability, economic cooperation, and sustainable development among its maritime neighbors.

Key Elements

• Security: Enhances maritime and coastal security to protect the interests of all states in the region and discourages threats such as piracy, terrorism, and illegal activities.
• Economic & Capacity Building: Aims to foster economic growth, connectivity, and collective capacity building, particularly leveraging opportunities in the blue economy (such as marine resources, renewable energy, and trade).
• Collective Action & Sustainable Development: Promotes collaborative approaches to natural disaster response and regional infrastructure, as well as sustainable use of ocean resources.
• Respect for Maritime Rules: Urges adherence to international maritime laws, peaceful dispute resolution, and respect for each nation’s interests for a climate of trust and openness.
• Strategic Evolution – MAHASAGAR: India’s broader global maritime vision, branded “MAHASAGAR” (announced March 2025), expands on SAGAR to include a wider Indo-Pacific and Global South focus, integrating India’s partnerships with countries beyond the Indian Ocean, such as the Philippines, Trinidad and Tobago, and Ghana.

Objectives

• Deepen India’s role as a “net security provider” and “first responder” in the IOR by supporting humanitarian efforts, disaster relief, and maritime stability.
• Strengthen regional maritime partnerships and ensure the Indian Ocean remains free, open, and inclusive.
• Counteract rising challenges from extra-regional powers, notably addressing China's growing presence and influence in the region.

Importance

• The vision is crucial for India to safeguard its trade routes, natural resources, coastal security, and economic prosperity in the Indian Ocean and beyond.
• SAGAR complements other Indian government initiatives like Sagarmala (port-led development) and aligns with policies such as Act East and the Indo-Pacific strategy.
• Through missions such as “Mission SAGAR” during the COVID-19 pandemic, India demonstrated its commitment to supporting neighboring nations through medical and humanitarian assistance.

Challenges

• Geopolitical rivalry, especially with China’s increasing maritime influence (“String of Pearls” approach) and debt diplomacy.
• Non-traditional threats, including piracy, trafficking, and ecological risks such as overfishing, ocean pollution, and overexploitation of resources.
• The need for greater coordination among regional states to avoid duplication of effort and reliance on extra-regional naval forces.

Overall, Vision SAGAR has become central to India’s foreign policy for regional peace, sustainable development, and maritime security in the Indian Ocean.

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