Kochi (Kerala) [India], July 18 (ANI): INS Sagardhwani on Thursday embarked on mission Sagar Maitri here.

The Marine Acoustic Research Ship was flagged off by Southern Naval commander Vice Admiral A.K. Chawla and Defence Research and Development Organisation chairman G. Satheesh Reddy.

The primary objective of the mission is data collection from the entire North Indian ocean, focusing on the Andaman Sea and adjoining seas and establishing long term collaboration with Indian Ocean Ring countries in the field of 'Ocean Research and Development'.

In consonance with the Prime Minister's vision of Safety And Growth of All in the Region (SAGAR), MarineAllied Interdisciplinary Training and Research Initiative is a step towards enhancing oceanic research and strengthening relationships with South East Asian countries and is therefore termed as Sagar Maitri, according to a statement from the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting.

In its second mission, the ship would be visiting Thailand, Malaysia, Singapore, and Indonesia and would be initiating collaborative research programmes with selected institutes in these countries.

The first Sagar Maitri mission was held in April when INS Sagardhwani visited Myanmar.

INS Sagardhwani is an indigenously built Marine Acoustic Research Ship (MARS) was commissioned in 1994. Owned by Naval PhysicalOceanographic Laboratory and operated by the Indian Navy, the ship has carried out intensive oceanographic observational programmes and research over the years.

The ship will celebrate its silver jubilee on July 30. (ANI)