“An Indian warship sailed from Mumbai last month as part of an operation dubbed Indian Ocean Ship (IOS) Sagar. On board, in addition to the Indian crew, were 38 personnel from 16 countries, for a deployment spanning the Maldives, Thailand, Indonesia, Singapore, Myanmar, Bangladesh and Sri Lanka.”
“The interoperability being cultivated is practical and embedded in shared routines rather than just the joint communiqués that usually emerge from international exchanges. It allows the Indian Navy to impart knowledge to its partners, as well as a chance for India to learn from best practices across the region. For example, the Indian Navy can learn from the heavy automation that Singapore uses in running ships as well as from Sri Lankan proficiency in Visit, Board, Search, and Seizure (VBSS) strategies. More than other ‘sea rider’ models which include foreign observers, the naval personnel operate as a cohesive unit aboard IOS Sagar.”
“Several constraints, however, remain in India’s broader Southeast Asian strategy. The economic dimension remains the most glaring gap, with structural imbalances persisting in trade and investment flows that potentially limit the sustainability of India’s regional influence in competition with China’s comprehensive economic engagement…”
https://www.lowyinstitute.org/the-interpreter/india-building-navy-neighbours