Indian Navy Launches Sea Vigil-26 and Concludes Oman Drills

The Indian Navy launched Sea Vigil-26 on November 11, a nine-day nationwide coastal defence exercise running through November 19. The fifth edition of the drill spans India's entire coastline and Exclusive Economic Zone, involving all coastal states, union territories, and 21 agencies across six ministries. The operation is divided into a Coastal Defence and Security Readiness Evaluation from November 11 to 17, followed by a Sea Phase on November 18 and 19.

Conceptualized in 2018 to validate security measures implemented after the 2008 Mumbai terror attacks, the exercise integrates assets from the Indian Coast Guard, Coastal Security Police, and Customs. It focuses on protecting critical offshore assets, such as oil platforms, and serves as a precursor to the biennial Theatre Level Readiness Operational Exercise (TROPEX).

Simultaneously, the Indian Navy concluded the 15th edition of Naseem Al Bahr (Sea Breeze) in Muscat on November 11. The bilateral exercise with the Royal Navy of Oman ran from November 8 to 11, featuring Subject Matter Expert Exchanges on mine countermeasures and explosive ordnance disposal. Joint operational activities included cross-deck operations and Visit, Board, Search and Seizure drills between the INS Surat and the Royal Navy of Oman Vessel Al-Mu’azzar. This engagement follows Navy Staff Talks held in New Delhi in October and aligns with the Government of India's MAHASAGAR vision for regional maritime engagement.