Defence & Security19 Concepts & Facts

Lokayan 26 & INS Sudarshini GK Facts, Overview & Study Guide

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Lokayan 26 designates the long-range international sail-training deployment and ocean-diplomacy voyage of Indian Naval Ship (INS) Sudarshini (pennant number A77). INS Sudarshini is a three-masted barque-rigged sail-training vessel commissioned into the Indian Navy on 27 January 2012 at the naval base in Kochi, Kerala. Constructed indigenously by Goa Shipyard Limited (GSL) to designs prepared by British naval architect Colin Mudie, the vessel operates as the sister ship to INS Tarangini (A75), which entered service in 1997. Operating under the operational command of the First Training Squadron (1TS) headquartered within the Southern Naval Command at Kochi, INS Sudarshini fulfills the specialized maritime mandate of providing foundational sea-training in traditional celestial navigation, seamanship, sail-handling, and ocean survival to officer cadets and trainee midshipmen from the Indian Navy and friendly foreign nations.

The operational philosophy of sail-training ships preserves traditional maritime craftsmanship amidst an era dominated by computerized navigation and automated propulsion systems. By subjecting naval cadets to the raw physical dynamics of wind, ocean currents, and manual sail-trimming, the voyage instills instinctive seafaring judgment, resilience, and unshakeable team cohesion. INS Sudarshini carries twenty individual sails spanning an expansive total sail area of nearly 1,500 square meters, supported by standing and running rigging that extends over twenty kilometers. In addition to primary wind propulsion, the vessel is fitted with auxiliary diesel propulsion engines to safely negotiate narrow harbor channels and calm doldrums. With an overall length of 54 meters and a beam of 8.53 meters, the ship accommodates up to thirty trainee cadets alongside a permanent crew complement of six officers and forty-six sailors.

Beyond tactical pedagogical objectives, Lokayan deployments represent an instrument of cultural diplomacy and international maritime engagement across the Indian Ocean Region, the Red Sea, the Mediterranean, and Southeast Asian waters. The overseas voyage demonstrates India's role as a preferred security partner and net security provider under Prime Minister Narendra Modi's vision of SAGAR (Security and Growth for All in the Region, unveiled in 2015) and MAHASAGAR (Maritime Heads for Active Security and Growth for All in the Region). Known popularly across maritime diplomatic circles as 'Bridges of Friendship', sail voyages such as Lokayan 26 revive historic trans-oceanic trade and cultural connections while facilitating bilateral naval interactions, cultural exchanges, and joint maritime domain awareness with partner nations.

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Lokayan 26 is the international sail-training deployment and naval diplomacy voyage undertaken by INS Sudarshini (A77).

INS Sudarshini is a three-masted barque commissioned into the Indian Navy on 27 January 2012 at Kochi.

The ship was constructed indigenously by Goa Shipyard Limited (GSL), based on hull and rig designs by British naval architect Colin Mudie.

INS Sudarshini is the sister ship to INS Tarangini (A75), which was commissioned on 11 November 1997 as the Indian Navy's first sail training ship.

The ship operates under the First Training Squadron (1TS), based at the Southern Naval Command headquarters in Kochi, Kerala.

The rig configuration is a three-masted barque, featuring square-rigged sails on the fore and main masts and fore-and-aft sails on the mizzen mast.

The vessel carries 20 individual sails with an aggregate sail surface area measuring approximately 1,500 square meters.

The standing and running rigging of INS Sudarshini incorporates over 20 kilometers of rope and wire lines.

Overall vessel dimensions include a length of 54 meters, a beam of 8.53 meters, and a draft of 4.5 meters, displacing roughly 500 tonnes.

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The ship accommodates up to 30 trainee cadets and midshipmen in addition to a permanent ship's crew of 6 officers and 46 sailors.

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INS Sudarshini is equipped with twin auxiliary marine diesel engines to enable harbor maneuvers and navigation through calms and adverse currents.

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Traditional sail training emphasizes celestial navigation using sextants, star sights, manual dead reckoning, and ocean survival skills without satellite reliance.

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The voyage supports Prime Minister Narendra Modi's SAGAR (Security and Growth for All in the Region) doctrine articulated in 2015.

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It aligns with the MAHASAGAR (Maritime Heads for Active Security and Growth for All in the Region) high-level virtual interaction forum initiated in 2023.

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Sail voyages under the Lokayan umbrella project Indian soft power through port calls dubbed 'Bridges of Friendship' across the Indian Ocean Region.

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In 2012–2013, INS Sudarshini undertook an expedition to nine ASEAN countries to commemorate the 20th anniversary of the India-ASEAN dialogue partnership.

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Officer cadets from navies of friendly foreign countries, including Sri Lanka, Maldives, Mauritius, and Seychelles, regularly board the vessel for training cruises.

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The First Training Squadron (1TS) also includes training ships INS Tir, INS Sujata, and Indian Coast Guard Ship (ICGS) Sarathi.

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INS Tarangini completed a historic circumnavigation of the globe during voyage 'Lokayan 03–04', visiting 36 ports in 18 countries over 15 months.

Subject Specialist Commentary

Analytical perspective & practical exam advice from the Master10 academic board

Educator's Insight

INS Sudarshini exemplifies how traditional seafaring remains deeply relevant in modern naval training. While frontline warships operate gas turbines and radar arrays, learning to navigate a three-masted barque across open oceans builds intuitive seamanship. Cadets climb thirty-meter masts and read wave patterns, developing an intimate understanding of the marine environment that technology cannot replicate.

In defence examinations, candidates frequently confuse INS Sudarshini (commissioned 2012) with its elder sister ship INS Tarangini (commissioned 1997). Remember that both are three-masted barques built by Goa Shipyard Limited and assigned to the First Training Squadron (1TS) under Southern Naval Command, Kochi. Use the mnemonic S-A-I-L-S for Sudarshini: Southern Naval Command, Auxiliary diesel barque, Indigenous Goa Shipyard build, Lokayan overseas diplomacy, and SAGAR regional engagement.

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