Indian Navy ships on standby for HADR operations under Operation Sankalp.

Key facts

• Indian Navy ships deployed under Operation Sankalp in the Gulf of Aden and the Gulf of Oman are on standby for humanitarian assistance and disaster relief (HADR) operations.
• Operation Sankalp was initiated in 2019 to safeguard Indian-flagged vessels and ensure maritime security amid rising threats to commercial shipping.
• Two Indian Navy ships, a frigate and a destroyer, are currently deployed for anti-piracy operations and the safety of merchant vessels.
• INS Surat is presently in Bahrain as part of a regional maritime security engagement.
• Prime Minister Narendra Modi chaired a Cabinet Committee on Security (CCS) meeting on March 1, 2026, to review the West Asia conflict and its implications for India.
• The CCS meeting was attended by Defence Minister Rajnath Singh, Home Minister Amit Shah, External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar, and Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman.