INS Sagardhwani flagged off for 'Sagar Maitri' expedition

Kochi, Jan 17 (PTI) INS Sagardhwani, India's oceanographic research vessel under the Naval Physical and Oceanographic Laboratory (NPOL) of DRDO, was flagged off for the fifth edition of the 'Sagar Maitri' (SM-5) initiative from Southern Naval Command, here on Saturday.

The flag-off ceremony was presided over by Radha Mohan Singh, Chairperson, Parliamentary Standing Committee on Defence, in the presence of Dr Samir V Kamat, Secretary (Defence R and D) and Chairman DRDO, and Rear Admiral Upal Kundu, VSM, Chief of Staff, Southern Naval Command, along with senior officials from the Indian Navy and DRDO.

According to a Defence spokesperson, Sagar Maitri is a flagship collaborative initiative of the Indian Navy and DRDO, aligned with the Government of India’s vision of ‘Security and Growth for All in the Region (SAGAR)’.

“It aims to strengthen scientific cooperation, capacity building and socio-economic engagement among Indian Ocean Rim (IOR) nations, focusing on oceanographic research. Under the Sagar Maitri programme, INS Sagardhwani will retrace the historic routes of INS Kistna, which participated in the International Indian Ocean Expedition (1962–65),” a statement said.

The initiative seeks to build sustained scientific collaboration with eight IOR countries—Oman, Maldives, Sri Lanka, Thailand, Malaysia, Singapore, Indonesia and Myanmar.

The ongoing mission marks the initiation of collaborative oceanographic studies with the Maldives, providing opportunities for joint research and professional exchange among scientists of IOR nations, he said.

INS Sagardhwani is a specialised marine acoustic research vessel, designed by NPOL and built by Garden Reach Shipbuilders and Engineers (GRSE).

Commissioned in July 1994, the ship has been a key platform for ocean observations and marine research for over three decades, contributing significantly to India’s maritime scientific capabilities, the Defence spokesperson added. PTI TBA TBA ROH