Kochi, Jan 19 (AHN) INS Sagardhwani, India's oceanographic research vessel under the Naval Physical and Oceanographic Laboratory (NPOL) of DRDO, was flagged off for the fifth edition of the Sagar Maitri (SM-5) initiative from Southern Naval Command at Kochi, an official said on Sunday.

The initiative seeks to build sustained scientific collaboration with eight Indian Ocean Region (IOR) countries, namely Oman, Maldives, Sri Lanka, Thailand, Malaysia, Singapore, Indonesia, and Myanmar.

After the flag off on Saturday, the vessel will retrace the historic routes of INS Kistna, which participated in the International Indian Ocean Expedition during 1962–65.

The ongoing mission marks the initiation of collaborative oceanographic studies with Maldives, enabling joint research and professional exchange among scientists of IOR nations.

The vessel was flagged off by Radha Mohan Singh, Member of Parliament and Chairperson, Parliamentary Standing Committee on Defence, in the presence of Members of the Parliamentary Standing Committee on Defence, Samir V Kamat, Secretary, Department of Defence R&D and Chairman DRDO; Admiral Upal Kundu, Chief of Staff, Southern Naval Command; R.V. Hara Prasad, Director General (Naval Systems & Materials); and Duvvuri Seshagiri, Director, NPOL, along with senior officials from the Indian Navy and DRDO.

Sagar Maitri represents the centrepiece of DRDO's efforts towards achieving relevant Underwater Domain Awareness (UDA) for the Indian Navy.

During these missions, oceanographic and acoustic data of importance are collected along designated observational tracks by DRDO research vessel INS Sagardhwani, aligned with planned scientific objectives relevant to UDA.

INS Sagardhwani is a specialised marine acoustic research vessel designed by NPOL and built by Garden Reach Shipbuilders and Engineers (GRSE).

Commissioned in July 1994, the ship has served as a key platform for ocean observations and marine research for more than three decades, contributing significantly to India's maritime scientific capabilities.

Sagar Maitri is a flagship collaborative initiative of the Indian Navy and DRDO, aligned with the Indian government's vision of 'Mutual and Holistic Advancement for Security and Growth Across Regions (MAHASAGAR)'.

The initiative aims to promote closer cooperation in socio-economic aspects and greater scientific interaction, especially in ocean research, among IOR countries.

Naval Physical and Oceanographic Laboratory (NPOL), Kochi, has been conducting oceanographic missions under the Sagar Maitri programme with the objective of strengthening scientific cooperation and capacity building among IOR nations.

Under the aegis of this programme, DRDO initiated a scientific component titled 'MAITRI (Marine & Allied Interdisciplinary Training and Research Initiative)' to establish long-term collaboration with IOR countries in the field of ocean research and development.