First tri-service all-women circumnavigation sailing expedition flagged off, Pg16

Key Highlights:

• Samudra Pradakshina, a historic tri-service all-women circumnavigation sailing expedition, was flagged off from Mumbai by Defence Minister Rajnath Singh.
• The expedition includes 10 women officers from the Army, Navy, and Air Force.
• The team will sail on the Indian Army Sailing Vessel (IASV) Triveni, a 50-foot yacht, for approximately nine months.
• The expedition will cover 26,000 nautical miles, crossing the Equator twice and rounding the three great Capes.

Detailed Insights:

• The expedition aims to commemorate women power, promote the jointness of the armed forces, and highlight self-reliant India (Aatmanirbhar Bharat).
• The IASV Triveni is an indigenously-built yacht, showcasing India's capabilities in naval engineering and production.
• The expedition route follows an easterly direction, rounding Cape Leeuwin, Cape Horn, and Cape of Good Hope, demonstrating the crew's navigational skills.
• The team is expected to return to Mumbai in May 2026, after completing their circumnavigation of the globe.

Key Concepts Involved:

• Circumnavigation: The act of sailing or traveling all the way around something (such as the world).
• Nautical Mile: A unit of distance on the sea, approximately 1.15 statute miles.
• Aatmanirbhar Bharat: A vision of India as a self-reliant nation, focusing on domestic production and reduced dependence on imports.