Indian Navy News & Discussions

[Hindustani78]

Ministry of Defence
21-August, 2017 15:28 IST
Commissioning of Second Ship of Landing Craft Utility MK-IV
‘IN LCU L52’(GRSE Yard 2093) at Port Blair

Dr. Jagdish Mukhi, Lieutenant Governor, Andaman and Nicobar Islands, commissioned IN LCU L52 into the Indian Navy today at Port Blair. IN LCU L52 is the second Landing Craft Utility (LCU) Mk-IV class to be inducted into the Indian Navy. The ship has been indigenously designed and built by Garden Reach Shipbuilders and Engineers, Kolkata. The commissioning of L-52 is yet another manifestation of the potential of the country’s indigenous design and ship building capability.

LCU MK-IV ship is an amphibious ship with the primary role to transport and deploy Main Battle Tanks, Armoured Vehicles, troops and equipment from ship to shore. These ships would be based in the Andaman and Nicobar Command and can be deployed for multirole activities like beaching operations, search and rescue, disaster relief operations, supply and replenishment and evacuation from distant islands.

The ship, commanded by Commander Kaushik Chatterjee, has a complement of 05 officers, 46 sailors and is capable of carrying 160 troops in addition. The ship, displacing 830 Tons, is capable of transporting various kinds of combat equipment such as Main Battle Tanks Arjun, T72 and other vehicles. The ship is fitted with state-of-the-art equipment and advanced systems like Integrated Bridge System (IBS) and Integrated Platform Management System (IPMS).

The remaining six ships of the same class are in advanced stages of construction at M/S GRSE, Kolkata and are scheduled to be inducted in the next two years. The induction of these ships will contribute to the nation’s maritime security needs and is in consonance with the Hon’ble Prime Minister’s drive for ‘Make in India’.

 

[X_Killer]

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[X_Killer]

https://www.facebook.com/video.php?v=1563124217078825

 

[RISING SUN]

US Congressional delegation visits Western Naval Command
A US Congressional House Committee today visited the Western Naval Command (WNC) here and discussed a range of issues, including Indo-American ties and maritime security, with officials.

The nine-member Congressional House Committee on Armed Services was led by US Congressman Robert Wittman.

Wittman, who is also Chairman of the Seapower and Projection Forces Sub-committee, was accompanied by Congresswoman Madeleine Bordallo and Edgard Kagan, US Consul General in Mumbai.

The visiting dignitaries interacted with Vice-Admiral Girish Luthra, Flag Officer Commanding in-Chief, WNC, a defence spokesperson said.

The delegation was briefed on the WNC and the Indian Navy's operations on the Western Seaboard, he said.

Issues of mutual interest such as the Indo-US relations, bilateral naval cooperation and maritime security were discussed, he said.

The delegation visited the Naval Dockyard and the indigenously built and newly commissioned Kolkata class destroyer `INS Chennai', the spokesperson said.
http://www.ptinews.com/news/9011628_US-Congressional-delegation-visits-Western-Naval-Command.html

Indian MoD issues RFI for naval utility, multirole helicopters
Key Points

• The Indian MoD has issued an RFI to foreign OEMs for 234 helicopters for the Indian Navy
• The RFI aims to procure 111 naval utility helicopters and 123 naval multirole helicopters

India’s Ministry of Defence (MoD) has invited responses by 6 October from overseas original equipment manufacturers (OEMs) in relation to the long-delayed procurement of 234 helicopters for the Indian Navy (IN), worth an estimated USD5 billion.

The 22 August request for information (RFI) aims to procure 111 naval utility helicopters (NUHs) and 123 naval multirole helicopters (NMRHs) via the MoD’s newly enunciated Strategic Partnership (SP) policy, under which the aircraft will be licence built locally.
http://www.janes.com/article/73317/indian-mod-issues-rfi-for-naval-utility-multirole-helicopters

American ship USS Pearl Harbor arrives in India
In its first visit to India, American Navy's amphibious dock landing ship USS Pearl Harbor arrived in Goa today as part of defence cooperation between the two countries.

USS Pearl Harbor is a Whidbey Island-class amphibious dock landing ship with a crew of over 700 sailors and marines.

The 15th Marine Expeditionary Unit (MEU), which is one of seven marine expeditionary units of the US Marine Corps, has also come to Goa as part of the trip.

While in Goa, the ship's sailors and marines will conduct exchanges with the Indian Navy's marine commandos relating to amphibious warfare, the US embassy said in a statement.

"We are thrilled by the opportunity to visit India," said Theodore Essenfeld, USS Pearl Harbor's commanding officer.

He said the sailors and marines of Pearl Harbor were looking forward to experiencing the culture and traditions of India while strengthening the US Navy's long-standing partnership with the Indian Navy.

USS Pearl Harbor was launched on February 24, 1996, and commissioned on May 30th, 1998. The ship is based in San Diego, California.

The 15th MEU is based at Camp Pendleton, California.

Both USS Pearl Harbor and the 15th MEU are currently deployed as a part of the USS America Amphibious Ready Group, which is operating in the Indo-Asia Pacific region to strengthen partnerships and serve as a ready-response force for any type of contingency, the US Embassy said.
http://www.ptinews.com/news/9010720_American-ship-USS-Pearl-Harbor-arrives-in-India.html

Indian Navy to participate in International Military Music Festival at Moscow
An Indian Navy band will participate in the International Military Music Festival “Spasskaya Tower” at Moscow, starting today. The festival will go on till September 3, 2017.

Spasskaya Tower is the parade of the best military music bands of Russia and other countries that takes place every year at Red Square in Moscow.

This Music Festival is a mega event, where military musicians represent the variety of national, artistic and military traditions of the world.

Every year about 1500 musicians, military men and other artists from around 40 countries perform at the “Spasskaya Tower”.

A Tri-Services band from the Indian Armed Forces has also been invited to participate and perform in the prestigious event.

The participation of the Tri- Services Band would foster better ties between the Armed Forces of the two countries and is also a befitting acknowledgment of the professional skills of the Indian Armed Forces bands, the Indian Navy said.

The Tri- Services Band comprises seven Officers and 55 PBORs. The Naval Band component comprising of one officer and nine musician sailors is being led by Commander Satish K Champion, Command Musician Officer, Eastern Naval Command. (AGENCIES)
http://www.dailyexcelsior.com/india...ernational-military-music-festival-at-moscow/

 

[hassamun]

Two frigates of 11356 project to be finalized for Indian Navy

Two frigates of project 11356, which the Baltic shipyards Yantar began to build for the Black Sea Fleet will be finalized for the Indian Navy, the vice-president of the United Shipbuilding Corporation for naval shipbuilding, Igor Ponomaryov, told TASS.

"Two ships will be built for India and one, equipped with new gas turbine power plants, for the Russian Navy," he said, adding that the future of a second troika of project 11356 frigates being built at the Yantar shipyards was determined under a Russian-Indian inter-governmental agreement.

"We hope that when this work is over (three ships of project 11356 - TASS) the Russian Navy will order at least another two frigates of this project," Ponomaryov said.
Currently negotiations are underway on providing to India four project 11356 frigates. Earlier the director of the Rostec corporation for regional cooperation and regional policies, Viktor Kladov, said the yet-to-be concluded contracts would be based on the two plus two formula: two frigates will be built in Russia and provided to India in finished form, while another two will be built at one of India’s shipyards. The federal service for military-technical cooperation later said the Yantar shipyards in Kaliningrad and India’s Goa Shipyard would be involved in the project.

Project 11356 ships have a displacement of about 4,000 tonnes, speed of up to 30 knots and endurance of 30 days. Three such ships have been built for the Black Sea Fleet already.

http://tass.com/defense/961521

 

[X_Killer]

https://www.facebook.com/video.php?v=1568120096579237

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[X_Killer]

@A.P. Richelieu

https://www.facebook.com/video.php?v=1568287296562517

 

[X_Killer]

@A.P. Richelieu
Indian Navy Carrier Jet War Hots Up, Boeing Focuses Fire
Shiv AroorAug 28 2017 6 57 pm

The Indian Navy’s multirole carrier borne fighter (MRCBF) contest just got a little hotter with Boeing today making it a point to amplify and detail the F/A-18E/F Block III Super Hornet’s ‘full compatibility’ with India’s current and future aircraft carriers. The company asserted today that the aircraft requires ‘no modifications’ to operate ‘with meaningful weapons loadouts’ from the ski-jump of the INS Vikramaditya, Vikrant-class and follow on aircraft carriers, adding a dimension of intrigue and intensity to a contest that is widely being seen as a direct dogfight with the Dassault Rafale. We’ll go into the significance of today’s comments in a moment, but first, here’s a quick video where we catch up with Boeing’s Vice President on the Super Hornet programme, Dan Gillian.




Now, here’s how the state of play adds up as Livefist sees it:

• Boeing has dismissed reports that the F/A-18 is too big for the hangar elevators on the INS Vikramaditya and the under-construction Vikrant class aircraft carrier. The company confirmed today that the Block III Super Hornet requires no modifications for full operations on either of these carriers. Discussions are currently ongoing with the Indian Navy. What appears unclear is if the dimensional clearances in the elevators are too small for comfortable deck handling. If no modifications are imposed on both the aircraft and the shaft systems of the carrier elevators, how much of a trade off would it be for other parameters, including turnaround and sortie generation? A bit of a grey call right now.
• The emphasis on ski-jump operations compatibility — a capability that Boeing’s rival Dassault also claims on the Rafale — only amplifies the distance from an Indian Navy decision on whether its new class of aircraft carrier (IAC-2) will employ CATOBAR (steam or electro-magnetic) or a ski jump like the Vikramaditya and Vikrant.
• If both the Super Hornet and Rafale both claim full operations capability from a ski-jump carrier, any technical toss-up would have to be between on weapons payload, cost per flight hour and range. Data on payload and range capabilities of either aircraft in ski jump operations remains unavailable (or unreleased). Boeing claims, however, that it has the lowest cost per flight hour of ‘any frontline fighter’.
• Does the emphasis on ski-jump compatibility indicate a recognition that the Indian Navy could potentially simply exercise the option to purchase more MiG-29K fighters going forward? That doesn’t seem likely, given (a) the MRCBF contest is specifically borne from the Indian Navy’s need for a higher performance fighter, and (b) the Indian Navy contest will necessarily have synergies with the Indian Air Force’s future requirements.
• Boeing says it is looking forward to putting into action what it has done in detailedsimulations since at least 2008. The last time anything close to this capability happened was when a legacy F-18 Hornet took off from a ski-jump in the eighties.
• Boeing sees recent reports of the IAF’s interest in doubling its order for Rafales to 72 aircraft as ‘positive’. Why? That’s answered in the video below with Boeing India chief Pratyush Kumar, the man driving the company’s continued performance in the Indian market, the latest win being the Indian Army’s imminent contract for six AH-64E Apache helicopters as part of options on the original IAF deal for 22.

 

[Hindustani78]

The Chairman Chiefs of Staff Committee and Chief of Naval Staff, Admiral Sunil Lanba and other dignitaries at the inaugural session of the Seminar on “Social Media & The Armed Forces”, in New Delhi on August 29, 2017.

The Chairman Chiefs of Staff Committee and Chief of Naval Staff, Admiral Sunil Lanba addressing the Seminar on “Social Media & The Armed Forces”, in New Delhi on August 29, 2017.

 

[RISING SUN]

Bangladesh Navy chief calls on Jaitley

Chief of Naval Staff of the Bangladesh Navy, Admiral Nizamuddin Ahmed, called on Defence Minister Arun Jaitley in national capital New Delhi on Monday.

Admiral Ahmed is on a three-day official visit to India from August 28 to August 30 to consolidate bilateral naval relations between India and Bangladesh and to explore new avenues for naval cooperation.


Admiral Ahmed will hold bilateral discussions with his Indian counterpart Admiral Sunil Lanba and other senior officials of the Indian Navy today.

Admiral Ahmed is also scheduled to meet Chief of the Air Staff, Air Chief Marshal B.S. Dhanoa, National Security Advisor Ajit Doval and Defence Secretary Sanjay Mitra.

In addition to New Delhi, the Admiral is also scheduled to proceed to Visakhapatnam where he will be visiting various naval establishments, including INS Kalinga, INS Karna and INS Satavahana.

Naval cooperation between India and Bangladesh has been traditionally strong, encompassing a wide span which includes operational interactions through training, port calls, passage exercises along with capability building and capacity augmentation initiatives.

The Bangladesh Navy is also the present Chair of the Indian Ocean Symposium (IONS), which is a Multilateral Maritime Cooperation platform launched by the Indian Navy.

The Bangladesh Navy is also scheduled to conduct an International Multilateral Maritime Search and Rescue Exercise titled IMMSAREX in November 2017, which is being held under the IONS construct.

http://www.business-standard.com/ar...vy-chief-calls-on-jaitley-117082800779_1.html

 

[Hindustani78]

New Delhi, August 30, 2017 21:11 IST
Updated: August 30, 2017 21:23 IST
http://www.thehindu.com/news/nation...-helicopters-to-its-fleet/article19588940.ece

With expanding profile in the Indian Ocean Region (IOR), Indian Navy is looking to add dedicated helicopters for Special Operations in its fleet. Some of the Naval Multi-Role Helicopters (NMRH) for which the tender was issued last week will be in this configuration.

“Of the 123 NMRH to be procured, 33 will be dedicated variants for Special Operations," a senior officer told The Hindu.

Last week the Navy had issued the Request for Information (RFI) to global Original Equipment Manufacturers (OEM) for the procurement of 123 NMRH and 111 Naval Utility Helicopters (NUH). The procurement would be under the recently approved Strategic Partnership (SP) model of the Defence Procurement Procedure (DPP).

Some of the 33 helicopters would be used for training Marine Commandoes (MARCOS) and the rest would be based on shore as well as on frontline warships, the officer added.

The helicopters would be twin-engine and weigh atleast 12.5 tonnes. According to the RFI, the requirements include the ability to carry 12 fully equipped troops along with 400 Kg of equipment or eight fully equipped troops and one auto inflatable craft in a stowed configuration.

In addition to special ops and commando role, the helicopters will also perform other roles like troop carriage, maritime interdiction including anti-piracy operations, Combat Search and Rescue (CSAR), external cargo carriage, limited casualty evacuation (CASEVAC) and Humanitarian Assistance and Disaster Relief (HADR).

The Navy currently has a few variants of Sea King helicopters in service in a commando role. But they are of 1970s vintage and technologically obsolete. Several attempts to replace them have repeatedly failed.

The SP model was approved in May in an attempt to develop domestic defence manufacturing and promote the private sector. The model forms the Chapter 7 of the DPP.

Helicopters play a crucial role in clearing the path for the warships and battle groups as they move on the high seas and they are also the first responders to a distress call.

(EOM)

 

[Hindustani78]

http://www.deccanherald.com/content/632238/sitharaman-flag-off-womens-circumnavigation.html

Press Trust of India, Panaji, Sep 9 2017, 13:10 IST

The crew would be circumnavigating the globe on an Indian built sail boat, INSV Tarini. Image tweeted by @indiannavy

Defence Minister Nirmala Sitharaman will flag off the Indian Navy women crew's attempt to circumnavigate the globe here tomorrow.

An all-women crew will be managing the whole operation on a sailing vessel in the first-ever global journey, said a release issued by the Press Information Bureau.

"The flagging off of 'Navika Sagar Parikrama' would be held at the hands of Defence Minister Nirmala Sitharaman at 12.30 pm on September 10 at INS Mandovi Boat Pool, Verem, near Panaji," it said.

The crew would be circumnavigating the globe on an Indian built sail boat, INSV Tarini.

The circumnavigation will finish around March 2018. During this time, the team would be sailing over many oceans, a naval spokesman said.

The entire distance will be covered in five legs and the crew will have stop overs at four ports for replenishment of ration and repairs, as necessary, he said.

The ports where the crew will have stop overs are: Fremantle (Australia), Lyttelton (New Zealand), Port Stanley (Falklands) and Cape Town (South Africa), the spokesman said.

 

[Hindustani78]

Prime Minister's Office
10-September, 2017 11:10 IST
PM wishes the women officers of Navika Sagar Parikrama the very best; urges people to share good wishes on the NM App

The Prime Minister, Shri Narendra Modi, has conveyed his best wishes to the 6 women officers of the Navika Sagar Parikrama, who will begin their journey of circumnavigating the globe on board INSV Tarini, today.

The Prime Minister has also urged everyone to share their good wishes and words of encouragement for the team of Navika Sagar Parikrama, on the Narendra Modi App.

“Today is a special day! 6 women officers of the Navy begin their journey of circumnavigating the globe on board INSV Tarini.

The entire nation comes together in wishing the all-women team of Navika Sagar Parikrama the very best in their remarkable endeavour.

Share your good wishes and words of encouragement for the team of Navika Sagar Parikrama, on the NM App”, the Prime Minister said.

This is the first-ever Indian circumnavigation of the globe by an all-women crew. They will begin their voyage today from Goa, and expect to return to Goa in March 2018, after completing the circumnavigation. The expedition has been titled Navika Sagar Parikrama. The Parikrama will be covered in five legs, with stop-overs at 4 ports: Fremantle (Australia), Lyttleton (New Zealand), Port Stanley (Falklands), and Cape Town (South Africa).

*****

 

[Hindustani78]

Ministry of Defence
10-September, 2017 15:31 IST
Hon’ble Raksha Mantri Flags off Navika Sagar Parikrama

Smt. Nirmala Sitharaman, Hon’ble Raksha Mantri flagged-off Indian Naval Sailing Vessel Tarini (INSV Tarini) with an all women crew from INS Mandovi boat pool, Goa at 01:00 PM today (10 Sep17). This is the first-ever Indian circumnavigation of the globe by an all-women crew and shall attempt to circumnavigate the globe on Indian Navy’s sailing vessel INSV Tarini. The crew is expected to return to Goa in April 2018, on completion of the voyage. The expedition will be covered in five legs, with stop-overs at 4 ports viz. Fremantle (Australia), Lyttleton (New Zealand), Port Stanley (Falklands), and Cape Town (South Africa).

The event was attended by Shri Manohar Parrikar, Hon’ble Chief Minister of Goa, Admiral Sunil Lanba, the Chief of the Naval Staff, Vice Admiral AR Karve Flag Officer Commanding-in-Chief, Southern Naval Command, Vice Admiral R Hari Kumar, Controller Personnel Services, IHQ MoD (Navy) besides other senior naval retired and serving officials as well as civilian dignitaries including family members of the crew and sailing enthusiasts.

During the ceremony at Goa, the Hon’ble Raksha Mantri said that, “this is a historic day for the country, which 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”. She further said that, “For this initiative I appreciate the Indian Navy and the mentors for inspiring, motivating and training these brave and courageous women”. She expressed her absolute pleasure for being present at the momentous occasion and felt honoured to be amongst the crew and wished them a successful voyage.

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. He said that the present circumnavigation by an all women crew is an extension of the above efforts and reflection of the Government’s efforts at Women Empowerment – “Nari Shakti”.

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. INSV Tarini is being skippered by Lt. Commander Vartika Joshi, and the crew comprises Lt. Commanders Pratibha Jamwal, P Swathi, and Lieutenants S Vijaya Devi, B Aishwarya and Payal Gupta.

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.

During their voyage, the crew 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.

Sailing encourages the use of environment friendly non-conventional renewable energy resources and this expedition therefore aims at harnessing the renewable energy.

INSV Tarini with an all-woman crew on board leaves Goa on September 10, 2017 on a global circumnavigation trip. | Photo Credit: Atish Pomburfekar

The six-member crew will circumnavigate the globe on India-built sail boat INSV Tarini, which is being skippered by Lt. Commander Vartika Joshi.
Hailing the all-woman crew on a global circumnavigation trip as “great, inspired and well- motivated”, Defence Minister Nirmala Sitharaman on September 10 said that the event was a “historic occasion for India”.

“This is not an occasion which can happen once in five years, once in 10 years. This is a historic day for India. A historic day, which will be marked in navigation history and globally. Our women are going to stand out for doing something which mostly wouldn’t even have been thought of," Ms. Sitharaman, India’s first full-time woman Defence Minister, said ahead of flagging off the Navika Sagar Parikrama at the INS Mandovi Naval training base near Panaji. Goa Chief Minister and former Defence Minister Manohar Parrikar was present.

Navika Sagar Parikrama considered the first-ever attempt by an all-woman crew to circumnavigate the globe, would cover the expedition in five legs with stop-overs at four ports (Fremantle, Australia; Lyttleton, New Zealand; Port Stanley, the Falklands; and Cape town, South Africa) for replenishment of ration and repairs as necessary, before returning to Goa in April 2018.

Defence Minister Nirmala Sitharaman flagging off INSV Tarini, a ship that will circumnavigate the globe, in presence of Goa Chief Minister Manohar Parrikar, in Goa on Sunday. | Photo Credit: PTI

Speaking to the media later, Ms. Sitharaman said that wherever needed the Defence Ministry will be more than willing to support and encourage women to take up opportunities in the Defence. Shed observed that there was no need to open separate areas for women, because women have been coming forward on their own in a big way and by proving themselves, taking up various opportunities and challenges.

The crew has sailed approximately 20,000 nautical miles on board INSV Mhadei and Tarini as part of training, which includes two expeditions to Mauritius (in 2016 and 2017) and a voyage from Goa to Cape Town in December 2016.

Five members of the Indian Navy’s all-woman global circumnavigation team (from left): Lt. Payal Gupta, Lt. Commander Pratibha Jamwal, Lt. Commander Vartika Joshi, Lt. Vijaya Devi and Lt. Commander Patarapalli Swathi. File | Photo Credit: Prashant Nakwe

INSV Tarini is a 55-foot sailing vessel which has been built indigenously by Aquarius Shipyard, Goa and was inducted into the Indian Navy earlier in 2017.

"The project is considered essential towards promoting ocean sailing activities in the Navy while depicting Government of India’s thrust for Nari Shakti (women power)," said Chief of the Naval Staff Admiral Sunil Lanba in his welcome speech earlier.

In consonance with the national policy to empower women to attain their full potential, the expedition aims to showcase Nari Shakti on the world platform.

“This would also help to discard the societal attitudes and mind-set towards women in India by raising visibility of participation by women in challenging environment,” said a press release of Indian Navy in Panaji on September 10.

The first Indian solo circumnavigation was undertaken by Capt. Dilip Donde, SC (Retd) from August 19, 2009 to May 19, 2010 on board another India-built vessel INSV Mhadei. The first Indian non-stop solo circumnavigation was undertaken by Cdr. Abhilash Tomy, K.C. from November 1, 2012 to March 31, 2013.

Skippered by Lt. Cdr Vartika Joshi (Rishikesh), the all-woman team has Lt. Cdr. Pratibha Jamwal (Kullu), Lt. Cdr. Swathi P. (Visakhapatnam), Lt. Aishwarya Boddapati (Hyderabad), Lt. Sh. Vijaya Devi (Manipur) and Lt. Payal Gupta (Uttarakhand) as its crew members.

Ready for the challenge: The INSV Tarini crew with Vice-Admiral A.K. Chawla, Navy’s chief of personnel. | Photo Credit: PTI

The Navy release said that the sailing encourages the use of environment friendly non-conventional renewable energy resources which affects the life of women. The expedition thereby aims at harnessing the energy to optimise the livelihood of the women on board. The voyage also aims to show case the ‘Make in India’ initiative by sailing on board the indigenously-built INSV Tarini.

Among other things, the crew would also collate and update Meteorological/ Ocean/Wave data on a daily basis for subsequent analysis by research and development organisations. they would also monitor and report marine pollution on the high seas. Since the expedition aims to promote Ocean Sailing and the spirit of adventure, the crew is also expected to interact extensively with the local PIOs at the various port halts.

‘Sea does not discriminate between genders’
“It is a matter of great honour and we couldn’t have imagined anything better for our cast-off,” said Lt. Cdr. Joshi when asked earlier what it meant to them that first full-time woman Defence Minister was coming to flag them off.

She further said, “ it is a great opportunity and great matter of pride for us that she is coming all the way to cast us off. Off course we being an all-woman team, it is a great boost to women in the country.”

“But, as we are going as sailors, and we as sailors have seen that the sea does not discriminate between genders. It is always gender-neutral and we have realised that gender does not play a role in sailing. But to boost morale in the country and for more women to take part in adventures like sailing, I feel it is great that an all-woman team has been formed,” she said.

 

[Hindustani78]

This is the first-ever Indian circumnavigation of the globe by an all-women crew. (Source: Expres photo by Smita Nair)

The crew of the ‘Sagar Parikrama’ comprises of six-member all women team on board the sailing vessel INSV Tarini. (Source: Expres photo by Smita Nair)