Sri Vijaya Puram, Sept. 21: The Indian Navy’s INSV Neelkanth is set to undertake a nearly 661.2-nautical-mile voyage from Visakhapatnam to Sri Vijaya Puram as part of the Silver Jubilee celebrations of the Andaman and Nicobar Command (ANC), with the open-sea passage expected to test the crew in potentially rough conditions.
The ocean-going sailing vessel will depart from the Eastern Naval Command headquarters at Visakhapatnam for the Andaman and Nicobar Islands. Ahead of the voyage, ANC Commander-in-Chief Vice Admiral Vineet McCarty interacted with the Neelkanth crew on Saturday, September 19, focusing on lessons for the expedition and encouraging the future of sailing in the Andaman and Nicobar Islands.
The nearly 40-foot sailing yacht is one of six ocean-going sailing vessels used by the Navy for expeditions and training. The fleet also includes INSV Mhadei, INSV Tarini, INSV Bulbul, INSV Hariyali and INSV Kadalpura.
The voyage to the Andamans will differ from Neelkanth’s earlier expeditions, which were conducted along the Indian coastline. As it approaches the Andaman Sea, the crew could encounter rough weather amid the possibility of a low-pressure system developing over the area.
Southwest winds of 20–25 knots may prevail over the South Andaman Sea, while rough seas and poor visibility are also possible. An official said the crew was highly trained and the vessel could operate in all weather conditions, describing the conditions as an experience for those taking part in the expedition.
Neelkanth has previously undertaken demanding sailing assignments. In 2023, it secured first place in the Inter Command Ocean Sailing Race after covering 360 nautical miles between Kochi and Goa. The crew, comprising men and women, faced heavy rain, sea states of up to 04 and wind gusts exceeding 25 knots for two days during that race.
In 2024, the vessel completed a 100-nautical-mile expedition in 24 hours to mark the Golden Jubilee of the Navy’s submarine training school INS Satavahana. In 2021, it sailed from Chennai to Visakhapatnam for the Golden Jubilee of the Navy’s submarine base INS Virbahu.
The ANC, established on October 1, 2001, is India’s first and only tri-services Command and comprises the Indian Navy, Indian Army, Indian Air Force and Indian Coast Guard. Headquartered at Sri Vijaya Puram, it was established to defend the strategically located Andaman and Nicobar Islands.
Beyond defence surveillance across the archipelago’s Exclusive Economic Zone, the Command also protects the region’s fragile ecosystem and conducts Marine Search and Rescue operations in one of the world’s busiest maritime zones.
The sailing expedition forms part of a series of activities planned for the ANC’s Silver Jubilee celebrations, some of which involving island residents have already commenced.
