Kochi, January 18. INS Sagardhwani, India’s dedicated oceanographic research vessel operated by the Naval Physical and Oceanographic Laboratory (NPOL) under the Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO), was flagged off on January 16 for the fifth edition of the Sagar Maitri initiative from the Southern Naval Command in Kochi.
According to a statement issued by the Ministry of Defence on January 18, the vessel was formally flagged off by Radha Mohan Singh, Member of Parliament and Chairperson of the Parliamentary Standing Committee on Defence, in the presence of committee members and senior defence officials. Those present included DRDO Chairman and Secretary of Department of Defence R&D Samir V. Kamat, Rear Admiral Upal Kundu, Chief of Staff, Southern Naval Command RV Hara Prasad, Director General (Naval Systems & Materials), and Duvvuri Seshagiri, Director, NPOL, along with senior officers from the Indian Navy and DRDO.
Sagar Maitri is a flagship collaborative programme of the Indian Navy and DRDO, aligned with the government’s MAHASAGAR vision – Mutual and Holistic Advancement for Security and Growth Across Regions. The initiative aims to deepen cooperation among Indian Ocean Rim (IOR) countries through enhanced socio-economic engagement and scientific collaboration, particularly in the field of ocean research.
Under the programme, NPOL has been conducting regular oceanographic missions to strengthen scientific cooperation and capacity building among IOR nations. DRDO has also launched a scientific component titled MAITRI (Marine & Allied Interdisciplinary Training and Research Initiative) to establish long-term partnerships with regional countries in ocean research and development.
As part of the current mission, INS Sagardhwani will retrace the historic routes sailed by INS Kistna during the International Indian Ocean Expedition between 1962 and 1965. The initiative seeks to build sustained scientific collaboration with eight IOR countries – Oman, Maldives, Sri Lanka, Thailand, Malaysia, Singapore, Indonesia and Myanmar. The latest voyage marks the beginning of collaborative oceanographic studies with Maldives, facilitating joint research and professional exchanges among regional scientists.
Sagar Maitri is a key element of DRDO’s efforts to enhance Underwater Domain Awareness (UDA) for the Indian Navy. During these missions, INS Sagardhwani collects vital oceanographic and acoustic data along designated tracks, supporting scientific objectives linked to maritime security.
Commissioned in July 1994, INS Sagardhwani is a specialised marine acoustic research vessel designed by NPOL and built by Garden Reach Shipbuilders & Engineers (GRSE). Over the past three decades, the ship has played a crucial role in advancing India’s oceanographic research and maritime scientific capabilities.
