NEW DELHI: Defence Minister Nirmala Sitharaman flagged off the Indian Navy’s sailing vessel INSV Tarini with six-member crew led by Lt. Commander Vartika Joshi is expected to cover the expedition in five legs, with stop-overs at 4 ports -- Fremantle (Australia), Lyttleton (New Zealand), Port Stanley (Falklands), and Cape Town (South Africa).
INSV Tarini is a 55-foot sailing vessel, which has been built indigenously, and was inducted in the Indian Navy earlier this year, thus showcasing the ‘Make in India’ initiative on the World forum. The crew is set to return to Goa in April 2018, after completing the voyage.
Calling it a historic day for the country, Sitharaman said: “It will be marked in the Navigation history of the world, and globally our women are going to stand out for something which most navies of the world would not have even thought of”.
The Chief of the Naval Staff, Admiral Sunil Lanba expressed satisfaction at continuation of the legacy of Indian Navy’s Ocean sailing expeditions which commenced in 1988 with expedition ‘Samudra’. This was followed by first solo circumnavigation by Captain Dilip Donde (Retd) and non-stop circumnavigation of the globe by Cdr Abhilash Tomy resulting in India joining a select group of nine nations which have achieved such feats.
During the voyage, the crew would monitor and report marine pollution on the high seas, as also interact extensively with local PIOs during various port halts to promote Ocean sailing. Sailing encourages the use of environment friendly non-conventional renewable energy resources and this expedition therefore aims at harnessing the renewable energy.
They would also collate and update Meteorological, Ocean, Wave data on a regular basis for accurate weather forecast by India Meteorological Department (IMD) and subsequent analysis by research and development organisations.
“The expedition titled ‘Navika Sagar Parikrama’, is in consonance with the National policy to empower women to attain their full potential. It also aims to help discard the societal attitudes and mindset towards women in India by raising visibility of their participation in challenging environment,” said a defence ministry spokesperson.