INS Sandhayak: Indian Navy's indigenously designed, constructed Survey Vessel Large visits Malaysia

This visit demonstrates India’s growing role in regional hydrographic capacity building under the Indian Naval Hydrographic Department (INHD) and the National Hydrographic Office framework.

INS Sandhayak, the first of the indigenously designed and built Sandhayak-class hydrographic survey ship, was commissioned in Feb 2024.

"The ship has full‑scale coastal and deep‑water surveying capacity, oceanographic data collection and is capable of Search and Rescue (SAR)/humanitarian operations with onboard helicopter and hospital functions," read a government statement.

The maiden visit of the ship to port Klang aims at facilitating technical exchanges and strengthening institutional ties via concerted cooperation like sharing of survey technologies and sustained hydrographic support engagements.

The key activities during the visit include in-depth knowledge exchange sessions, official receptions and events designed to foster international goodwill and elevate awareness of the MAHASAGAR (Mutual and Holistic Advancement for Security and Growth Across Regions) vision.

The visit reaffirms India’s commitment to regional maritime cooperation.

India-Malaysia Relationship

India established diplomatic relations with the Federation of Malaya (predecessor state of Malaysia) in 1957.

In 2010, the bilateral ties were elevated to Strategic Partnership during visit of former PM Manmohan Singh to Malaysia, read a statement issued by the Indian Embassy in Malaysia.

India-Malaysia relations were elevated to Enhanced Strategic Partnership, during the visit of PM Narendra Modi to Malaysia in November 2015.

Malaysia hosts approximately 2.75 million PIOs, which is the second largest PIO community in the world after the US.

Malaysia has the third largest Indian diaspora in the world (2.9 mn).

During the recent visit of PM Anwar Ibrahim to India on 19-21 August 2024, the India-Malaysia bilateral ties were elevated to Comprehensive Strategic Partnership opening a new chapter in the relationship.