Tri-Services All-Women Sailing Expedition ‘Samudra Pradakshina’ Recently Flagged Off from Mumbai.

Defence

In April 2025, Lieutenant General (Lt Gen) AK Ramesh, Commandant of the Pune (Maharashtra)-based College of Military Engineering (CME), flagged off India’s first all-women tri-services circumnavigation sailing expedition, titled "Samudra Pradakshina", from the Indian Naval Watermanship Training Centre (NWTC) in Colaba, Mumbai (Maharashtra).


      - This pioneering initiative is aimed at promoting gender parity in maritime operations and celebrating the unwavering spirit of Nari Shakti (women power).

      - Additionally, it serves as a preparatory mission for a more challenging global circumnavigation sailing expedition scheduled for 2026.

     

Main Point :-   (i) The expedition involves a 55-day sea voyage, covering around 4,000 nautical miles from Mumbai to Seychelles and back, aboard the Indian Armed Services Vessel (IASV) Triveni. The mission is set to culminate with a Flag-In Ceremony in Mumbai on 30th May 2025.

      (ii) The sailing team comprises a 12-member all-women crew, selected from 41 volunteers representing the Indian Army (IA), Indian Navy (IN), and Indian Air Force (IAF). These officers have undergone two years of extensive ocean sailing training.

(iii) Launched by the Ministry of Defence (MoD), this initiative aims to highlight the resilience, bravery, and leadership of women in the armed forces, while inspiring broader female participation in both maritime and defence sectors.

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