- Nine Army, Navy and Air Force officers feted by SWAC chief Air Marshal PV Shivanand in Gandhinagar
- 314-day odyssey covered nearly 25,500 nautical miles across four oceans aboard indigenous IASV Triveni
- Historic voyage showcases Nari Shakti, Tri-Service jointness, leadership, resilience and Aatmanirbhar Bharat
- “Ocean waves may rise high, but the spirit of India’s daughters soars higher,” says Defence Minister Rajnath Singh
NE DEFENCE BUREAU
AHMEDABAD, AUG 14
When the sea turned hostile, the winds tested their resolve and the horizon seemed endless, nine Indian women officers did not merely sail around the world—they sailed beyond the boundaries of convention. Their extraordinary journey aboard the Indian Army Sailing Vessel (IASV) Triveni has now emerged as a powerful symbol of what courage, teamwork and determination can achieve.
Air Marshal PV Shivanand, AVSM, VM, Air Officer Commanding-in-Chief, South Western Air Command (SWAC), felicitated the nine women officers of the Indian Army, Indian Navy and Indian Air Force who successfully completed ‘Samudra Pradakshina’, the first-ever Tri-Services all-women circumnavigation sailing expedition, at a ceremony at HQ SWAC here on Friday.
The historic expedition, which returned to Mumbai on July 22, culminated a 314-day voyage spanning nearly 25,500 nautical miles across four oceans. The mission was virtually flagged off by Defence Minister Rajnath Singh from Mumbai on September 11, 2025.
The expedition was far more than a maritime adventure. It brought together women officers from the three Services under one flag, one mission and one shared resolve, demonstrating that Tri-Service jointness is not merely an organisational principle but a formidable force multiplier.
Interacting with the officers, Air Marshal Shivanand commended their courage, leadership and mental resilience, describing their accomplishment as a shining example of Nari Shakti and Tri-Service jointness. He emphasised that challenges can be conquered when conviction, collective effort and perseverance become the guiding forces.
The women officers also shared gripping experiences from their voyage, recounting the demanding physical and psychological challenges of spending more than 10 months at sea and the lessons the expedition taught them about leadership, teamwork, discipline and perseverance.
The scale of the feat was underlined by Defence Minister Rajnath Singh while flagging in the expedition. Praising the crew’s courage and determination, he said: “Ocean waves may rise high, but the spirit of India’s daughters soars higher.” He described Samudra Pradakshina as a testament to India’s Nari Shakti, national resolve and Tri-Service synergy.
The expedition also highlighted India’s indigenous capabilities. IASV Triveni, on which the women completed the circumnavigation, was described by the Defence Minister as a testament to India’s engineering excellence, indigenous capability and strategic confidence.
The Gandhinagar felicitation was attended by senior functionaries of the Indian Army, Indian Navy, Indian Coast Guard, CRPF, BSF and civil administration, besides schoolchildren—giving the young audience an opportunity to see first-hand how India’s women in uniform are redefining the meaning of courage and service.
The successful completion of Samudra Pradakshina therefore stands as much more than a record-setting voyage. It is a message to every young Indian girl: the horizon is not a limit—it is an invitation.
