Operation Sankalp is the Indian Navy's initiative aimed at ensuring the security of the regional maritime domain. The term Sankalp originates from Sanskrit and signifies the concept of "Commitment". It aligns with the Indian Navy's objective of safeguarding India's shipping interests and trade routes.
Launched on 19 June 2019, Operation Sankalp primarily focused on guaranteeing the safe transit of Indian-flagged vessels passing through the Strait of Hormuz amidst escalating security concerns in the area. The protection of India's commercial fleet and maritime commerce is emphasised as a significant goal within the Indian Navy's responsibilities. Due to the intricate nature of the mission and the global context in which Indian Naval vessels operate, Op Sankalp is being executed in the Indian Ocean Region (IOR) through active engagement and meticulous coordination with the Indian Ministries of Defence, External Affairs, Shipping, Petroleum and Natural Gas, and the Directorate General of Shipping.
Background The utilization of a blue-water navy is underpinned by characteristics such as operational reach, flexibility, and visibility. The activities undertaken by a country's naval forces to advance national interests reflect, in varying degrees, both broader strategic priorities and political objectives. Since 2008, piracy has emerged as a significant maritime security concern in the Indian Ocean Region (IOR), contributing to the deployment of warships by a range of regional and extra-regional navies. Within this context, the Indian Navy has assumed a prominent role in maritime security operations and has sought to position itself as a ‘First Responder’ and ‘Preferred Security Partner’ in the IOR. Its deployments have involved a combination of surface vessels, maritime aircraft, and Special Forces, reflecting the range of capabilities available for addressing piracy and other non-traditional maritime security challenges. These activities form part of India's broader efforts to safeguard maritime interests and contribute to security and stability across the region.
The Persian Gulf is an important component of India's and West Asia’s maritime trade and energy security, given the scale of its economic relations with the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) states. In FY2025-26, India's bilateral goods trade with the six GCC countries remained at approximately US$178.63 billion, comprising US$55.69 billion in exports and US$122.92 billion in imports. The UAE remains India's largest GCC trading partner, with bilateral trade of approximately US$101.25 billion, followed by Saudi Arabia at US$41.07 billion. These figures are consistent with FY2024-25, when India-GCC bilateral trade was valued at US$178.56 billion, comprising US$56.87 billion in exports and US$121.68 billion in imports. The composition of this trade also highlights the importance of the Gulf region to India's energy requirements. India's major imports from GCC countries include crude oil, liquefied natural gas (LNG) mainly from Qatar, liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) primarily from the UAE, petrochemicals and other mineral fuels, these substantial energy and commercial flows pass through maritime routes linking the Persian Gulf, Strait of Hormuz and Arabian Sea, making the security of these sea lanes directly relevant to India's economic interests. It was in this context that the Indian Navy launched Operation Sankalp in June 2019, deploying warships to the Gulf of Oman and the Gulf to reassure Indian-flagged vessels following maritime-security incidents in the region. The operation has subsequently remained part of India's presence in the area, including deployments intended to support the safe movement of Indian-linked commercial and energy shipping through the Gulf and its approaches.
Early deployments From June 2019 to May 2021, fleet of 20 Indian warships were deployed under Operation Sankalp to safeguard the journey of over 200 Indian Flag Vessels transporting more than 21 million tonnes of cargo in the IOR.
In November 2021, was dispatched to the Persian Gulf and Gulf of Oman under Operation Sankalp, an initiative by the Indian Navy to uphold a prominent vessel in the area, guaranteeing the unhindered and protected transportation of goods, fostering trust within the maritime community, and actively contributing to the overall security of the regional waters. The ship stopped at Manama and during its stay at the port, the personnel engaged with Bahrain's counterparts to enhance maritime security. Trikand, a cutting-edge frigate equipped with guided missiles and stealth technology, serves as a vital component of the Western Fleet. It operates under the command of the Flag Officer Commanding-in-Chief, Western Naval Command, which is headquartered in Mumbai.
India enacted its anti-piracy legislation as the Maritime Anti-Piracy Act 2022, on 20 December 2022 criminalising maritime piracy and empowering the Indian Navy and other government agencies with the authority to respond to threats at sea. In 2024, the then Chief of Naval Staff Admiral R. Hari Kumar referred to the new law as a "great enabler" in the navy's anti-piracy success.
In regular circumstances, this deployment would have been considered as a standard procedure. Nevertheless, during the COVID-19 pandemic situation, the Indian Navy's capability to deploy its warships demonstrated their exceptional operational readiness and availability. This also highlighted the stringent protocols and mechanisms implemented by the Indian Navy to minimise the impact of SARS-CoV-2 on their personnel, thereby ensuring uninterrupted deployments and operations. Consequently, in addition to their continuous anti-piracy patrols and Op-Sankalp, the Indian Navy effectively executed numerous deployments and operations.
2023–24
On 14 December 2023, Operation Sankalp was re-initiated to ensure the security of the regional maritime domain due to the Red Sea crisis and sudden increase in marine pirate activities. The Indian Navy on 31 December 2023 said it had deployed P-8I Neptune and the SeaGuardian drones, following the distressed faced by two merchant vessels, MV Ruen and MV Chem Pluto which were targeted in the sea. MV Ruen was hijacked (later rescued by INS Kolkata) while MV Chem Pluto sustained drone hits eventually and making way to port. The Indian Navy deployed a large flotilla of destroyers to safeguard international security. The deployment into the Arabian Sea included missile destroyers, including INS Kolkata, INS Kochi, INS Mormugao, INS Chennai and INS Visakhapatnam, almost its entire modern destroyer fleet of its Western Fleet. INS Kolkata was deployed at the mouth of the Red Sea, INS Kochi on the south of Yemen's Socotra Island, INS Mormugao in the west Arabian Sea with INS Chennai in the central Arabian Sea. INS Visakhapatnam was also moved in a week later and was tasked to patrol the north Arabian Sea.
From December 2023 to March 2024, around 5,000 troops have been deployed at sea with over 450 ship days have been completed (using over 21 ships), and maritime surveillance aircraft have flown 900 hours under Operation Sankalp.
In 2024, as per a report, the Indian Navy deployed over 30 ships as Houthi militants targeted multiple cargo vessels in and around the Red Sea with drone and missile attacks. "The Navy responded to over 25 such incidents and safely escorted over 230 merchant vessels carrying around 90 lakh metric tonnes of cargo valued at over USD 4 billion", according to official data. DateShip attackedRescued byCauseDetails15-19 December 2023MV Ruen INS Kolkata, INS SubhadraPiracyMV Reun was attacked and hijacked by Somali pirates in their first attempt since 2017. Indian Navy quickly responded to the situation. Following Indian Navy P-8I Neptune MPA locating those ships, Kochi as well as the Spanish ship Victoria and the JS Akenebono immediately sailed behind them and are proceeding to Mogadishu harbour in Somalia, the estimated location of the pirates are taking the Reun. INS Kochi, on its part, was shadowing MV Ruen in a “wait-and-watch” mode since a direct intervention could have led to casualties among the crew being held hostage by the pirates. On 19 December, the hijackers freed a Bulgarian hostage so that he could receive medical assistance after being injured by gunshot. The sailor was treated on board and is now being taken to a shore-based medical facility in Oman for further evaluation. The destroyer kept trailing MV Reun and further action shall be decided by the owners of the shipping company.