Sagar Maitri Mission-2

INS Sagardhwani, Oceanographic research vessel of Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) has embarked on a strategic-cum scientific oceanic expedition from Kochi to enhance collaboration with eight Indian Ocean Rim (IOR) nations. The mission is being implemented by the Defence Research and Development Organisation’s (DRDO) Kochi-based Naval Physical and Oceanographic Laboratory (NPOL). INS Sagardhwani has already completed Track-1 of Sagar Maitri mission with a visit to Myanmar in April.

About the Mission

• As part of the Mission, INS Sagardhwani will embark on a two-month-long voyage to visit four eastern IOR nations viz. Thailand, Malaysia, Singapore and Indonesia –– in the first phase with an aim to bolster cooperation in oceanic research and development.
• The mission will also undertake sea strategic and scientific data collection from the entire north Indian Ocean with an immediate focus on the Andaman Sea.
• The mission commemorates the Golden Jubilee Celebrations of India’s lone research ship INS Kistna’s missions as part of the historic International Indian Ocean Expeditions (IIOE), which took place during 1962-65. INS Sagardhwani will revisit the selected tracks of INS Kistna.

INS Sagardhwani

INS Sagardhwani was commissioned on July 30, 1994. The ship is fitted with state-of-the-art equipment, including the latest wave height measuring radar, and is exclusively used for the scientific and research programmes of NPOL.