Defence Minister Rajnath Singh commended Nine Women Officers for historic ‘Samundra Pradakshina’

Nine women officers from India's Army, Navy and Air Force returned home this week not just as sailors who had completed an extraordinary journey, but as symbols of what Defence Minister Rajnath Singh called a shining example of Nari Shakti and jointness synergy among the armed forces. On Thursday, Rajnath Singh personally felicitated the officers in New Delhi for successfully completing "Samudra Pradakshina" — the country's first-ever tri-service, all-women circumnavigation sailing expedition aboard the Indian Army Sailing Vessel (IASV) Triveni.

The scale of what these officers accomplished is breaking the records. Over 314 days at sea, they sailed nearly 25,500 nautical miles, crossing four oceans. According to the Ministry of Defence, Rajnath Singh spoke directly with the officers during the felicitation and commended them for a voyage that tested not just their sailing skills, but their courage and determination which shows powerful symbol of Nari Shakti.

The officers themselves described the journey candidly, recounting the physical and mental toll of months spent battling open ocean conditions far from home. What kept them going, they said, was a shared sense of purpose - the knowledge that they were carrying the nation's pride with them across every mile of the voyage, even when the hardships felt relentless.

The Defence Minster described the officers' capability and confidence as incredible, and argued that the successful completion of the mission dismantled the stereotypes that claimed women were unsuited to arduous military missions. "You have proven that physical ability, mental toughness, and leadership qualities are not bound by gender. Every daughter in India can look at you and believe that she too can cross an ocean and conquer the world," he said.

The success of the mission was made possible through meticulous planning and nearly two years of intensive training, backed by a dedicated shore-based support network that operated round the clock, along with the coordinated efforts of numerous organizations and support agencies working behind the scenes. It's the kind of preparation that rarely makes headlines but is precisely what separates an ambitious idea from a mission that actually gets completed safely.

To count as a genuine global circumnavigation under internationally recognized standards, the voyage had to meet a strict set of criteria and Samudra Pradakshina ticked every box. The crew crossed all meridians of longitude, crossed the Equator twice, sailed across the International Date Line, and rounded all three of the Great Capes: Cape Leeuwin, Cape Horn, and the Cape of Good Hope. let alone one crewed entirely by women officers drawn from three different branches of the armed forces successfully completed the course of mission.

That tri-service composition was itself central to why Rajnath Singh called the mission a landmark moment for integration across India's military branches. Officers from the Army, Navy and Air Force sailed together under a single, unified mission — a detail he pointed to as evidence of the growing synergy being built between the three services, rather than each operating within its own.

Beyond this remarkable achievement, ‘Samudra Pradakshina’ also served as a powerful instrument that strengthened India’s military diplomacy and goodwill on the global stage.  During port calls across the globe, IASV Triveni showcased India’s rich cultural heritage, maritime traditions and enduring values with friendly nations.