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INS Sagardhwani, operated by NPOL under DRDO, was flagged off on January 16 for the fifth Sagar Maitri mission from Kochi. The initiative aims to enhance cooperation among Indian Ocean Rim countries through scientific collaboration in ocean research.

The ship will retrace routes of INS Kistna from the 1962-1965 International Indian Ocean Expedition. This mission focuses on joint studies with eight IOR countries: Oman, Maldives, Sri Lanka, Thailand, Malaysia, Singapore, Indonesia, and Myanmar.

Sagar Maitri is part of DRDO's efforts to improve Underwater Domain Awareness for the Indian Navy, collecting vital oceanographic data during missions. INS Sagardhwani has been operational since July 1994.