The Indian Naval Sailing Vessel (INSV) Tarini has successfully docked in Cape Town, marking the completion of the fourth leg of the Navika Sagar Parikrama II expedition, an ambitious circumnavigation of the globe by two female officers of the Indian Navy.
On arrival in Cape Town, the vessel was welcomed by dignitaries including Ruby Jaspreet, Consul General of India in Cape Town, Rear Admiral (JG) Lisa Hendricks, Chief of Staff of the South African Navy Fleet, and Captain Atul Sapahia, Defence Adviser of India in Pretoria. The South African Naval Band performed a ceremonial welcome as the vessel arrived in port.
The Navika Sagar Parikrama II expedition was flagged off by Admiral Dinesh K Tripathi, Chief of the Indian Naval Staff, on 2 October 2024 in Goa, and is being undertaken by two women officers of the Indian Navy: Lieutenant Commander Dilna K and Lieutenant Commander Roopa A. The mission aims to cover more than 23 400 nautical miles (approximately 43 300 kilometres) in eight months, with a scheduled return to Goa in May 2025.
The expedition has so far had three stopovers at Fremantle (Australia), Lyttelton (New Zealand) and Port Stanley, Falklands (UK), the Indian Ministry of Defence Press Information Bureau said in a statement on 1 April.
The vessel will be at Royal Cape Yacht Club for two weeks for scheduled maintenance and repairs. The crew of the vessel will engage and interact with the South African Navy at Simon’s Town Naval Base and Gordon’s Bay Naval College. Community outreach events are also planned during their stay. INSV Tarini is likely to depart Cape Town on 15 April.
The vessel and crew have encountered rough seas and extremely cold temperatures coupled with stormy weather conditions, making the task of circumnavigation highly challenging and demanding. The passage so far witnessed winds in excess of 50 knots (93 kmph) and waves up to 7 meters (23 feet) high.
The indigenously built INSV Tarini is a 56-foot sailing vessel, which was inducted in the Indian Navy in 2018 and has participated in similar expeditions.
The Navika Sagar Parikrama II expedition promotes women empowerment in the Indian Armed Forces and is expected to motivate many young women to join the Services and Indian Navy in particular. This edition is also aimed at furthering marine and scientific researches, the Press Information Bureau said.
“The stopover of Tarini at Cape Town exhibits the growing relations between India and South Africa and how India stands committed to strengthen its maritime cooperation with the friendly countries in the Indian Ocean Region.”
In the recent past, Indian Naval Ship Talwar participated in the 8th edition of Exercise Ibsamar in October 2024 in South Africa. The month of January this year also saw the latest stealth frigate of the Indian Navy, INS Tushil, making a port call at Durban and engaging with the South African Navy and the Indian community in Kwa-Zulu Natal while on her delivery voyage from Yantar Shipyard in Russia.
“Such visits and engagements bring the Navies together to address the common challenges in the maritime domain and learn from the best practices for ensuring safe and secure seas,” the Press Information Bureau concluded.
