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NATIONAL: INDIAN NAVY : WOMEN POWER IN SAILING: Indian Navy’s female duo completes historic transoceanic sortie ahead of solo circumnavigation

Two women officers are in the fray for the Navy’s ambitious voyage yet — the Sagar Parikrama IV, a circumnavigation mission.

Lieutenant commanders Dilna K and Roopa Alagirisamy, the two women officers handpicked as potential candidates for the upcoming Sagar Parikrama IV, the Navy’s most ambitious voyage yet, have successfully completed their ‘final examination’ on the seas.

The so-called test entailed undertaking a transoceanic sortie aboard INSV Tarini from Goa to Port Louis in Mauritius, and back. This nearly 5,000 nautical mile journey in double-handed mode was the first-of-its-kind by Indian women, thus marking a significant milestone for the Navy.

The women duo recorded ‘full marks’ when Tarini was flagged in by the who’s who of INS Mandovi at the boat pool in Goa on Sunday. It concluded a two-month expedition that began on February 28 and also involved a series of events to strengthen bilateral ties during the stopover in Mauritius.

“The expedition was particularly challenging as each leg of the journey was a continuous voyage of about 2,700 nautical miles without breaks. Besides demanding to settle into a rhythm at sea, the journey also threw various weather conditions,” says Cdr Abhilash Tomy (retd), the officers’ mentor and only Indian to circumnavigate the world twice.

Each leg of the journey took nearly three weeks and saw the two women officers battle heavy winds and rough seas. “The two officers are used to being on the water by now. They have been training for nearly three years, undertaking regular sorties,” a Navy source tells TNIE. 

Indeed, both Lt Cdr Dilna and Lt Cdr Roopa have over 25,000 nautical miles to their names. According to Cdr Abhilash, the two are “quite well prepared.”

In November 2023, the two officers had sailed from Goa to Port Blair and back — nearly the same distance as from Goa to Mauritius. “Though that voyage too was in double-handed mode, they were still sailing on Indian waters. This time, they crossed into the ocean,” the source elaborates.

Even crossing oceans isn’t new. This time last year, they embarked on an expedition to Rio De Janeiro and back on the same vessel with a six-member crew. However, the upcoming Sagar Parikrama mission will be unlike the voyages they’ve been on. It will see a woman officer sail around the world, solo and unassisted.

“Of the two officers, only one will make this journey. This transoceanic voyage was their final test. We will now evaluate and decide who will undertake the circumnavigation mission,” the source says. According to him, both of them have a good chance of qualifying.

Though India has eight circumnavigators, only two have done it solo — Captain Dilip Donde (retd) and Cdr Abhilash. Their voyages, in 2010 and 2013, respectively, were the first two iterations of the Sagar Parikrama series. Interestingly, the two are also the first Indian male pair to undertake a transoceanic sortie (in 2009).

The third Sagar Parikrama mission in 2017 saw Lt Cdr Joshi Vartika lead a six-member crew across the world’s oceans. To see an Indian woman sail around the world solo and unassisted was the longtime dream of the late VAdm M P Awati, considered the father of Indian circumnavigation missions.

Now, only months remain for this dream to be fulfilled. Sagar Parikrama IV is set to commence in September.

Lt Cdr Dilna K

  • Hails from Kozhikode, Kerala
  • Joined the Navy as a logistics officer in 2014
  • Is a renowned shooter; have won several medals in national competitions
  • Big enthusiast of cricket; have represented the Kerala state team
  • Won YAI’s Admiral Ramdas Trophy last year

Lt Cdr Roopa A

  • Hails from Puducherry
  • Joined the Navy into the naval armament inspection cadre in 2017
  • Is an aeronautical engineering graduate; had a stint with National Aerospace Laboratories
  • Her father, Alagirisamy G P, is a former Indian Air Force pilot
  • Won YAI’s Admiral Ramdas Trophy last year yearAdmiral Ramdas Trophy,

source/content: newindianexpress.com (headline edited)

India delivers first batch of BrahMos to Philippines

This is the first export order for the supersonic cruise missile, a joint venture between India and Russia.

India delivered the first batch of BrahMos supersonic cruise missiles to Philippines on Friday. In January 2022, Philippines concluded a $375-million deal with India for three batteries of shore-based, anti-ship variant of the BrahMos becoming the first export customer for the joint venture missile between India and Russia.

The first batch was delivered onboard transport aircraft of the Indian Air Force which landed in Philippines on Friday afternoon. Specifics of the delivery made were not immediately available. Philippines is acquiring the systems under the Horizon 2 of the Revised Armed Forces of the Philippines Modernization Programme.

The delivery comes amid the showdown between Philippines and China in the South China Sea which has been ongoing for the last few months and will significantly augment the defensive posture of the Philippines armed forces once the systems are operationalised.

During his visit to Philippines in March , External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar in a meeting with the Secretary of National Defence of Philippines Gilberto C. Teodoro, Jr. reaffirmed India’s commitment to upholding a rules-based international order and promoting peace and security in the Indo-Pacific region. “During the high-level meeting, Secretary Teodoro welcomed India’s unwavering support for the Philippines’ position on the West Philippine Sea/South China Sea issue,” the Philippines Ministry of the armed forces said in a statement.

In January 2022, then Philippines Defence Secretary Delfin N. Lorenzana, who signed the contract, had said, “As the world’s fastest supersonic cruise missiles, the BrahMos missiles will provide deterrence against any attempt to undermine our sovereignty and sovereign rights, especially in the West Philippine Sea.”

The contract includes the delivery of three missile batteries, training for operators and maintainers as well as the necessary Integrated Logistics Support package. The coastal defence regiment of the Philippine Marines will be the primary user of the missile systems.

From January 23 to February 11, 2023, 21 Philippine Navy personnel were trained in the operations and maintenance of the systems in Nagpur and were awarded interim missile badges by Indian Navy Chief Admiral R. Hari Kumar after they completed the operator training.

As reported earlier, several countries have expressed interest in acquiring BrahMos systems and discussions are in advanced stages with Indonesia and Thailand among others.

BrahMos is a joint venture between DRDO and Russia’s NPO Mashinostroyeniya and the missile derives its name from Brahmaputra and Moskva rivers. The missile is capable of being launched from land, sea, sub-sea and air against surface and sea-based targets and has been long inducted by the Indian armed forces.

The range of the missile was originally capped at 290km as per obligations of the Missile Technology Control Regime. Following India’s entry into the club in June 2016, the range has been extended to 450km and work is on to extend it to 600km and beyond.

source/content: thehindu.com (headline edited)