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- Marine Acoustic Research Ship, INS Sagardhwani, has set sail for a scientific venture called Sagar Maitri (Marine & Allied Interdisciplinary Training and Research Initiative) Mission- 2
- The ship’s mission has been conceptualised by Defence Research and Development Organization (DRDO). It is in consonance with the Prime Minister’s vision of ‘Safety and Growth of All in the Region’ (SAGAR)
- SAGAR seeks to promote closer cooperation in socio-economic aspects, as well as greater scientific interaction, especially in ocean research in underwater acoustics, among Indian Ocean Region (IOR) countries.
- The prime objectives of the SAGAR MAITRI mission-2 are a) data collection from the entire North Indian Ocean, focusing on the Andaman Sea and adjoining seas and b) establishing long term collaboration with eight IOR countries in the field of ‘Ocean Research and Development’.
- The first Sagar Maitri mission was held in April 2019 when INS Sagardhwani visited Myanmar.
- INS Sagardhwani is an indigenously built ship commissioned in 1994.
- It is owned by Naval Physical & Oceanographic Laboratory (NPOL) – a R&D establishment of the DRDO.