INS Sudarshini homecoming took place at Kochi on Monday, as the Indian Navy's sail training ship returned from Lokayan 26, a ten-month transoceanic expedition of over 22,000 nautical miles.

A water cannon salute and the Naval Band marked the arrival, and family members gathered to receive the crew.

Vice Admiral Sameer Saxena presides over Flag-in Ceremony

Vice Admiral Sameer Saxena, Flag Officer Commanding-in-Chief, Southern Naval Command, presided over the Flag-in Ceremony. He commended the crew for their perseverance, professionalism, resilience and devotion to duty, the Indian Navy said. The voyage, he said, showed the Navy's standards of sail training, seamanship and operational preparedness, and showcased India's maritime heritage and its commitment to international maritime cooperation.

He had also flagged off the ship from Kochi on 20 January, 286 days before the INS Sudarshini homecoming.

INS Sudarshini homecoming closes 17 port calls in 11 countries

The voyage covered 17 distinct port calls in 11 countries across Asia, Europe, Africa and North America, according to the Ministry of Defence. Her stops included Casablanca in Morocco, Boston, Lisbon, Barcelona and Livorno in Italy.

Salalah in Oman came at both ends of the deployment. The ship made her first port call of the voyage there in February and called again in October.

Two Atlantic crossings completed on the deployment

The ship crossed the Atlantic twice.

Longest run under sail lasted 18 days

One transatlantic passage covered 2,200 nautical miles over 18 days, in challenging weather and sea conditions. The Navy said this marked the longest distance covered exclusively under sail, and credited the crew's seamanship, endurance and coordinated teamwork.

Escale a Sete and SAIL 250 headline the voyage

The main events of the deployment were the Escale a Sete maritime heritage festival in France, followed by SAIL 250 and the International Naval Review in the United States. In July, the ship sailed in the Parade of Sail on the Hudson in New York.

Exchanges held with five navies

Professional interactions, training exchanges and cross-training activities were held with the Royal Moroccan Navy, Portuguese Navy, Italian Navy, Egyptian Navy and Spanish Navy. The Portuguese Navy received her at Ponta Delgada in the Azores in August, after her second Atlantic crossing. These engagements furthered maritime cooperation with the respective navies.

Port calls also brought visits onboard and interactions with the Indian diaspora. The Navy linked the deployment to MAHASAGAR, Mutual and Holistic Advancement for Security and Growth Across Regions, and to Vasudhaiva Kutumbakam, the world is one family.

Officer trainees trained in ocean navigation and sail handling

Sail training remained the core objective.

Young officer trainees onboard gained hands-on experience in ocean navigation, watchkeeping, sail handling, rigging, meteorological assessment and shipboard operations, the Navy said. INS Sudarshini, built by Goa Shipyard Limited and commissioned in 2012, is 54 metres long and carries 20 sails with a sail area of more than 1,000 square metres.