In a historic first, the Indian Navy's sail training ship INS Sudarshini arrived at the port of Las Palmas, capital of the Canary Islands archipelago of Spain, on April 23, 2026, marking the maiden visit by any Indian naval ship to this Atlantic outpost. The Press Information Bureau release confirmed that the port call is part of the ship's ongoing transoceanic deployment christened Lokayan-26, which began at Kochi in January 2026. Before reaching Las Palmas, INS Sudarshini undertook professional and goodwill port calls at Salalah in Oman, Alexandria in Egypt, Valletta in Malta, Sète in France and Casablanca in Morocco, covering several thousand nautical miles across the Arabian Sea, Mediterranean and Eastern Atlantic. The Las Palmas halt is described as a strategic operational pause that allows the crew to replenish stores, undertake essential maintenance and prepare for the demanding trans-Atlantic passage that will follow. While at Las Palmas, the Commanding Officer of INS Sudarshini will hold professional interactions with senior Spanish Navy authorities and the local administration of the Canary Islands government, with the visit positioned by the Ministry of Defence as a tangible demonstration of growing maritime cooperation between the Indian Navy and the Spanish Armada. After Spain, the ship is scheduled to cross the Atlantic Ocean and call at multiple ports of the United States as part of India's engagement with America's 250th Independence Day commemorations in 2026. The deployment carries the civilisational message of Vasudhaiva Kutumbakam — the world is one family — and showcases India's blue-water naval reach. INS Sudarshini, commissioned in 2012 and based at Kochi, is a three-masted barque designed primarily for sail training of officer cadets, building seamanship, navigation and leadership skills the traditional way.
Indian Navy Sail Training Ship INS Sudarshini Arrives at Las Palmas, Spain on April 23, 2026; Maiden Visit by an Indian Naval Ship to the Canary Islands Under Lokayan-26 Transoceanic Deployment
INS Sudarshini, the Indian Navy's sail training ship, made the maiden Indian naval port call to Las Palmas in Spain's Canary Islands on April 23, 2026, under the Lokayan-26 transoceanic deployment that began at Kochi in January 2026. The visit precedes the ship's trans-Atlantic passage to several US ports linked to America's 250th Independence Day commemorations.
Key facts
- INS Sudarshini, the Indian Navy's sail training ship, arrived at Las Palmas, Spain on April 23, 2026 — the maiden visit by an Indian naval ship to the Canary Islands archipelago.
- The visit is part of the ship's ongoing transoceanic deployment named Lokayan-26, which commenced at Kochi in January 2026.
- Before Las Palmas, the ship called at Salalah (Oman), Alexandria (Egypt), Valletta (Malta), Sète (France) and Casablanca (Morocco).
- The Las Palmas port call serves as an operational pause for replenishment, maintenance and crew preparation before a planned trans-Atlantic passage.
- The Commanding Officer is scheduled to hold professional interactions with Spanish Navy authorities and the Canary Islands administration during the visit.
- After Spain, INS Sudarshini will cross the Atlantic to call at multiple US ports as part of India's engagement with America's 250th Independence Day commemorations in 2026.
- INS Sudarshini, commissioned in 2012 and based at Kochi, is a three-masted barque used primarily for sail training of officer cadets and carries the message of Vasudhaiva Kutumbakam.
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Practice MCQ from this story
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With reference to INS Sudarshini's Lokayan-26 deployment that reached Las Palmas on April 23, 2026, consider the following statements: 1) INS Sudarshini is a sail training ship of the Indian Navy. 2) The Lokayan-26 deployment commenced from Kochi in January 2026. Which of the statements given above is/are correct?
INS Sudarshini, commissioned in 2012 and based at Kochi, is a three-masted sail training barque of the Indian Navy used primarily for officer cadet sail training, so statement 1 is correct. The Lokayan-26 transoceanic deployment commenced from Kochi in January 2026 and reached Las Palmas, Spain, on April 23, 2026, after port calls at Salalah, Alexandria, Valletta, Toulon and Casablanca, so statement 2 is also correct.
Source: PIB / DD News On Air
Frequently asked questions
On which date did INS Sudarshini arrive at Las Palmas, Spain?
INS Sudarshini arrived at Las Palmas in Spain's Canary Islands on April 23, 2026, marking the maiden visit by any Indian naval ship to the archipelago.
What is the name of the deployment under which INS Sudarshini is sailing?
The voyage is part of the transoceanic deployment named Lokayan-26, which started at Kochi in January 2026.
Which ports did INS Sudarshini call at before reaching Las Palmas?
Before Las Palmas, the ship called at Salalah in Oman, Alexandria in Egypt, Valletta in Malta, Sète in France and Casablanca in Morocco.
What is INS Sudarshini's primary role?
INS Sudarshini is a three-masted sail training barque commissioned in 2012 and based at Kochi, used primarily for the sail training of Indian Navy officer cadets.
What is the next phase of INS Sudarshini's voyage after Spain?
After Las Palmas, the ship is scheduled to cross the Atlantic Ocean and call at several US ports as part of India's engagement with America's 250th Independence Day commemorations in 2026.
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