In March 2026, the Indian Armed Forces arrived in the Seychelles to participate in the 11th edition of the joint bilateral military exercise 'LAMITIYE-2026'. The 2026 edition is historically significant as it marks the first time all three services of the Indian Armed Forces — the Army, Navy, and Air Force — are participating together in this exercise.

The Indian contingent includes personnel from the ASSAM Regiment (Army), INS Trikand (Navy), and a C-130 aircraft (Air Force). LAMITIYE, meaning 'friendship' in Creole, has been conducted since 2001 and aims at enhancing bilateral military relations, interoperability, and sharing of best practices in counter-terrorism and humanitarian assistance/disaster relief (HADR) operations.

The exercise holds significant strategic importance for India's 'SAGAR' (Security and Growth for All in the Region) doctrine, which envisions India as a preferred security partner and net security provider in the Indian Ocean Region (IOR). The Seychelles is strategically located astride major shipping lanes between Africa, the Middle East, and South Asia, and hosts Indian naval assets under bilateral agreements.

For Rajasthan's RPSC RAS perspective, this exercise illustrates India's neighbourhood-first policy extended to the Indian Ocean island nations, India's blue-water naval strategy, and the operationalization of the SAGAR doctrine through concrete military-to-military engagements.