India-Vietnam maritime ties deepen as INS Sagardhwani concludes scientific port call at Cam Ranh
New Delhi, May 10. The Indian Navy’s oceanographic research vessel INS Sagardhwani wrapped up a five-day visit to Cam Ranh from May 4 to 8, reinforcing the expanding maritime and scientific partnership between India and Vietnam.
According to a statement issued by the Ministry of Defence on May 10, during the port call, the ship’s Commanding Officer met senior Vietnamese military leaders, including representatives of the Khanh Hoa Military Command and Naval Region 4, to explore avenues for deeper maritime engagement, professional exchanges, training cooperation and joint scientific efforts. The discussions coincided with a decade of the India-Vietnam Strategic Partnership and followed the participation of a Vietnam People’s Navy ship in International Fleet Review 2026 and MILAN 2026 hosted by India earlier this year.
As part of the professional outreach, the Commanding Officer also interacted with faculty at the Vietnam Naval Academy, focusing on expanding collaboration in naval training and education. Officers and cadets from the academy visited the vessel to gain insights into its oceanographic role and onboard research capabilities.
Reflecting the camaraderie between the two navies, personnel from both sides participated in friendly volleyball matches and joint yoga sessions during the harbour stay, underscoring the people-to-people dimension of the engagement.
A key highlight of the visit was the scientific collaboration between researchers from India’s Naval Physical and Oceanographic Laboratory under Defence Research and Development Organisation and scientists from the Institute of Oceanography Nha Trang. The exchanges centred on joint research, knowledge sharing and capacity building in oceanographic science and technology. Scientists from Vietnam’s National Oceanographic Institute also visited the ship during the port call.
The visit of INS Sagardhwani stands as a testament to the growing maritime cooperation and scientific engagement between India and Vietnam, reflecting the deepening strategic convergence between the two nations in the Indo-Pacific region.
