KOCHI: India’s oceanographic research vessel INS Sagardhwani has set off for its fifth mission of Sagar Maithri, which involves scientific partnerships for Ocean Research and Development (Ocean R&D) with Indian Ocean rim nations.
The vessel owned by Naval Physical and Oceanographic Laboratory (NPOL) of DRDO was flagged at a ceremony held at the Kochi Naval Base of the Southern Naval Command (SNC) on Saturday. The flag-off ceremony was presided over by chairperson of Parliamentary Standing Committee on Defence Radha Mohan Singh. DRDO chairman Samir V Kamat and SNC chief of staff Rear Admiral Upal Kundu were present on the occasion.
Sagar Maitri is a flagship collaborative initiative of the Indian Navy and DRDO, aligned with the Union government’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, focussing on oceanographic research.
INS Sagardhwani will retrace the historic routes of INS Kistna, which participated in the International Indian Ocean Expedition (1962–65). 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 Maldives, providing opportunities for joint research and professional exchange among scientists of IOR nations.
INS Sagardhwani is a specialised marine acoustic research vessel, designed by NPOL and built by Garden Reach Shipbuilders & 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.