INS Sagardhwani, the Indian Navy’s oceanographic research vessel, has completed a successful visit to Cam Ranh, Vietnam, from May 4 to May 8, 2026, strengthening the growing maritime and scientific partnership between India and Vietnam. The visit highlighted the expanding defence, training and oceanographic cooperation between the two countries at a time when India and Vietnam are marking a decade of their Strategic Partnership.
During the port call, the Commanding Officer of INS Sagardhwani held meetings with senior Vietnamese military officials, including Sr Col Tran Van Cuong, Deputy Head of Khanh Hoa Military Command, and Sr Capt Nguyen Huu Minh, Deputy Political Commissar of Naval Region 4. The discussions focused on widening maritime engagement, improving professional exchanges, building training cooperation and exploring new avenues for scientific collaboration.
The visit also carried a strong naval training component. The Commanding Officer interacted with Sr Capt Ho Thanh Hoa, Deputy Director of the Naval Academy of Vietnam, where talks centred on cooperation in naval education and training. Officers and cadets from the academy also visited INS Sagardhwani, where they were briefed on the ship’s operational role and onboard capabilities.
The harbour stay reflected the broader spirit of friendship between the Indian Navy and the Vietnam People’s Navy. Personnel from both navies took part in friendly volleyball matches and joint yoga sessions, adding a cultural and people-to-people dimension to the professional exchanges.
A major focus of the visit was oceanographic research. Scientists from the Naval Physical and Oceanographic Laboratory, DRDO, engaged with researchers from the Institute of Oceanography, Nha Trang, to discuss research collaboration, knowledge sharing and capacity building in oceanographic science and technology. Scientists from the National Oceanographic Institute also visited the ship during the port call.
The visit follows the participation of a Vietnam People’s Navy ship in International Fleet Review 2026 and MILAN 2026 at Visakhapatnam in February 2026, reflecting the steady growth of naval cooperation between the two countries. INS Sagardhwani’s visit to Cam Ranh adds another layer to this partnership, combining defence diplomacy with scientific engagement in the wider Indo-Pacific region.
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