DRDO Research Ship INS Sagardhwani Embarks on Sagar Maitri Mission-2

Speed Post News Network

New Delhi : Oceanographic research vessel of Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO), INS Sagardhwani, embarked on a two-month long SAGAR MAITRI (SM) Mission-2 from South Jetty, Southern Naval Command (SNC), in Kochi on July 18, 2019.

Secretary, Department of Defence R&D &  Chairman DRDO, Dr G Satheesh Reddy, flagged-off the ship in the presence of Vice Admiral Anil K Chawla, FOC-in-C (South). Defence Minister Rajnath Singh has extended his warm wishes for the success of the Mission.

SAGAR MAITRI is a unique initiative of DRDO which aligns with the broad objective of PM Narendra Modi’s policy declaration “Safety And Growth for All in the Region (SAGAR)” to promote closer co-operation in socio-economic aspects as well as greater scientific interaction especially in ocean research among Indian Ocean Rim (IOR) countries. Under the aegis of PM’s policy, specific scientific component of DRDO is “MAITRI (Marine & Allied Interdisciplinary Training and Research Initiative)”.

INS Sagardhwani has been designed and developed by Naval Physical and Oceanographic Laboratory (NPOL), Kochi, a premier systems laboratory of DRDO. It conducts ocean research experiments in the Indian waters and spearheads NPOL’s at-sea data collection activities

SAGAR MAITRI Mission-2 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. As part of the mission, INS Sagardhwani will revisit the selected tracks of INS Kistna and provide NPOL scientists ample opportunities to collaborate and garner a close working relationship with the oceanographic counterparts of the IOR countries.

The prime objectives of the SAGAR MAITRI Mission are data collection from the entire North Indian Ocean, focussing on the the Andaman Sea and adjoining seas and establishing long-term collaboration with eight IOR countries in the field of ocean research and development.

The other IOR countries include Oman, Maldives, Sri Lanka, Thailand, Malaysia, Singapore, Indonesia and Myanmar. The programme also aims at establishing long term scientific collaboration with these countries in the field of ‘Ocean Research & Development’ and data collection with a focus in the Andaman Sea, according to a PIB release.

Director General (Naval Systems and Materials) Dr Samir V Kamath, Director NPOL S Vijayan Pillai and other senior officials also witnessed the event.