India has transitioned from a regional maritime outlook to a globally integrated strategy with the unveiling of the MAHASAGAR doctrine—Mutual and Holistic Advancement for Security and Growth Across Regions—marking a decade since the launch of SAGAR. The shift underscores India’s emergence as a proactive maritime power with ambitions extending across the Indo-Pacific and the Global South.
Introduced by Prime Minister Narendra Modi in March 2015 during the commissioning of the Mauritius Coast Guard vessel Barracuda, SAGAR—Security and Growth for All in the Region—highlighted the strategic importance of the Indian Ocean, which carries two-thirds of global oil shipments and borders 40 percent of the world’s population. The framework focused on securing India’s mainland and island territories, fostering cooperation with maritime neighbours, and promoting sustainable development and regional engagement.
Domestically, SAGAR was reinforced by the Sagarmala initiative, which prioritised port-led development and marked India’s pivot from a continental to a maritime orientation. Over the years, the Indian Navy has established itself as a net security provider in the Indian Ocean Region, responding to crises such as the 2004 tsunami, Cyclone Nargis in 2008, and the Maldives’ 2014 water emergency, while building regional capacity through joint exercises and humanitarian missions.
India’s maritime diplomacy has expanded through platforms like the Indo-Pacific Oceans Initiative, the Quad, and forums including the East Asia Summit, Indian Ocean Rim Association, Indian Ocean Naval Symposium, Colombo Security Conclave, and MILAN exercises. The Information Fusion Centre–IOR in Gurugram and white shipping agreements further enhance regional maritime coordination.
The Ministry of External Affairs’ 2024 Annual Report emphasised India’s upgraded Comprehensive Strategic Partnership with ASEAN and growing cooperation in trade, technology, and cultural exchange. At the tenth anniversary of SAGAR in March 2025, PM Modi launched MAHASAGAR in Mauritius, extending India’s maritime vision beyond the Indian Ocean to global waters, with a focus on inclusive growth and strategic partnerships across the Global South.
MAHASAGAR positions India as a preferred security partner and a contributor to global maritime norms, reflecting its evolution into a responsible and assertive maritime power.
