The Indian Navy's sail training ship, INS Sudarshini, embarked on a 10-month transoceanic expedition named Lokayan 26, on January 20, 2026. The voyage aims to showcase India's maritime heritage and strengthen international naval cooperation.
The ship set sail from Kochi Naval Base, where the commencement ceremony was attended by senior naval officers, including Flag Officer Commanding-in-Chief (FOC-in-C), Southern Naval Command (SNC), Vice Admiral Sameer Saxena, along with members of the Naval community, school children, and families of the ship's crew. Vice Admiral Saxena emphasized the ship's role as India's "ambassador at large," highlighting the voyage's potential to build bridges of friendship across the globe.
During the expedition, INS Sudarshini will cover over 22,000 nautical miles, visiting 18 ports across 13 countries. The ship will traverse the Arabian Sea, Suez Canal, Mediterranean Sea, Red Sea, and the Atlantic Ocean to visit countries in Africa, Europe, and North America. A major highlight will be the ship's participation in two prestigious international tall-ship events: Escale à Sète in France and SAIL 250 in New York, United States. At these events, INS Sudarshini will represent India's maritime traditions on the global stage. In New York, the ship will join an international fleet review hosted by the U.S. Navy on July 4, marking the 250th anniversary of the declaration of Independence.
More than 200 trainees from the Indian Navy and Indian Coast Guard will undergo intensive sail training during the voyage, gaining hands-on experience in long-range ocean navigation and traditional seamanship. The expedition will expose trainees to the challenges of life aboard a tall ship and provide opportunities to interact with counterparts from foreign navies, fostering professional exchange and enduring bonds of friendship. The ship's commanding officer, N Ravikanth, stated that the training will help the seamen understand the maritime environment, diverse weather phenomena, and changing sea conditions, equipping them to encounter any challenge at sea.
INS Sudarshini will also engage in training interactions and maritime partnership activities with the navies of the countries it visits, strengthening cooperation and advancing India's maritime outreach under the vision of MAHASAGAR (Mutual and Holistic Advancement for Security and Growth Across Regions). The voyage is expected to serve as an instrument of cultural diplomacy, reinforcing the Indian Navy's commitment to building bridges of cooperation, goodwill, and mutual trust among nations.
INS Sudarshini, the Indian Navy's second sail training ship, has already covered over 1.4 lakh nautical miles. Built indigenously by Goa Shipyard Limited, the three-masted barque is 54 meters in length and equipped with 20 sails covering a sail area of 1,035 square meters. The ship has 7.5 km of rope and 1.5 km of steel rope. Commissioned on January 27, 2012, INS Sudarshini continues to serve as a symbol of India's maritime capability, professionalism, and global goodwill through Lokayan 26. The ship has a crew of 40 sailors, 10 officers and 30 trainee cadets. The cadets will change from port to port.
