New Delhi — Defence Minister Shri Rajnath Singh today virtually flagged off the ‘Samudra Pradakshina’ expedition, a historic and first-of-its-kind Tri-service all-women circumnavigation sailing expedition. The voyage, which is the first-ever globally, commenced from the Gateway of India in Mumbai. In his address, the minister hailed the expedition as a symbol of ‘Nari Shakti’ (women power), the collective strength of the Armed Forces, and the vision of an ‘Aatmanirbhar Bharat’ (self-reliant India).
Over the next nine months, a crew of 10 women officers from the Army, Navy, and Air Force will sail onboard the indigenously-built Indian Army Sailing Vessel (IASV) Triveni. The 50-foot yacht was constructed in Puducherry and is equipped with modern navigation and communication systems. The team will cover approximately 26,000 nautical miles, crossing the Equator twice and rounding the three great Capes—Leeuwin, Horn, and Good Hope.
The expedition will follow the strict norms of the World Sailing Speed Record Council, requiring the journey to be completed under sail alone without the use of canals or powered transit. The most challenging phase will be navigating the Southern Ocean and the Drake Passage between December 2025 and February 2026. The crew has undergone three years of rigorous training to prepare for the voyage, which will also include scientific research in collaboration with the National Institute of Oceanography. The team will make four international port calls in Fremantle (Australia), Lyttelton (New Zealand), Port Stanley (Canada), and Cape Town (South Africa) before returning to Mumbai in May 2026.