00:00Commander, Sail 250 has now come to an end officially.
00:04Could you share the highs and lows of this historic voyage that you and your colleagues undertook,
00:10something that you'll probably remember all your life?
00:15Definitely. I mean, this entire voyage has in itself been a masterclass in resilience and pride,
00:21filled with extraordinary moments and significant challenges even.
00:24The absolute pinnacle was navigating into New York and Boston.
00:30Under full sail, representing India alongside a majestic fleet of global call ships,
00:35closely matched by the pure triumph of our historic first ever Franzo-Atlantic crossing.
00:42And conversely, our lowest, I would say, and most testing period has been arriving in Saif, France,
00:49where we had to execute an intense, unexpected self-maintenance period,
00:54far from the confines of home and using limited assistance,
01:00where we had to change the gearbox of one of our engines.
01:03And thereafter, to ensure that the entire mission was successful.
01:08So there, the resilience and our tactical acumen came into play,
01:12and that helped us a lot in ensuring the mission was successful to date.
01:18Great. Let us just do some number crunching here.
01:21How many nautical miles have you covered so far, and how many sailors are on board?
01:27How many days has this voyage taken so far, and how many more before you go back to India?
01:34Absolutely. Looking at the hard numbers, I'd say we've already clocked about 14,000 nautical miles
01:40since the day we departed from India on the 20th of Jan this year.
01:46And in these 14,000 nautical miles, we have already crossed about nine different countries,
01:53about 12 different ports, including the ports in the United States on the East Coast.
01:59I've got about 75 personnel on board, currently, of who 25 are sea trainees or cadets, as we say.
02:08I've got three training officers who arrived with them.
02:11These are the officers and trainees who constantly come to us on a rotation basis.
02:16They sailed with us from Baltimore to New York and then to Boston.
02:20They just flew back home last night.
02:22On a permanent rotation, I've got 47 crew on board this ship,
02:26that includes eight officers and 39 sailors.
02:29And this deployment that we are on, a 10-month journey,
02:33we will be clocking total 22,000 nautical miles by the time we go back to India in November,
02:39touching 13 different countries, 18 different ports,
02:43and making 21 port calls in the duration of the deployment.
02:47Wow. Now, you did say that Sudarshini made its first-ever transatlantic crossing on this trip.
02:54How did you really prepare a sail ship for that?
02:59Not just prepare, but, you know, to sustain yourself in this whole voyage.
03:03How did that all happen?
03:07So, honestly speaking, preparing a three-mastered bark like ours
03:11for a maiden transatlantic crossing required weeks of meticulous planning
03:16and uncompromising attention to detail.
03:18Every single inch of our running rigging and the sailing
03:23had to be meticulously checked, thoroughly maintained,
03:28and ensured that every rope and canvas was in the prime condition
03:31and the prime position possible.
03:34Because we totally rely on the winds when we cross the Atlantic
03:36or when we are travelling over the oceans.
03:39So, keeping that in mind,
03:41a lot of preparation had to be undertaken
03:42before we embarked on this transatlantic voyage.
03:46That included some critical engineering spares
03:49and extra provisions that needed to be stocked up on the ship,
03:52which we did it well before in advance.
03:55And tactically, we spent hours analysing the route that we would be taking,
03:59keeping in account the unpredictability of the weather
04:02and the oceanographic situation in the Atlantic Ocean.
04:06Atlantic is a totally unforgiving water body
04:09and a lot of planning and thought process has to go into
04:14the preparation aspect of it,
04:16the navigational part of the voyage,
04:19and including the provisions and the logistic aspect of the voyage as well.
04:24So, weeks went into preparing right from the minute we departed
04:28from CET in France and entered the Atlantic.
04:31That's when our entire preparation continued
04:34and I'll be proud to say
04:38that we have been able to achieve our maiden transatlantic voyage
04:41without any hiccups.
04:43Great.
04:44Now, what does India's presence at SAIL 250
04:48actually achieve diplomatically?
04:52So, our presence at SAIL 250
04:54is a powerful assertion of India's maritime character
04:57and soft power allowing Sudharshini to serve effectively
05:01as a unique floating ambassador on a world stage
05:04and by bringing a slice of Indian heritage, warmth and professionalism
05:09directly to the foreign shores of the United States.
05:13It is our hope that we host bilateral discussions,
05:17international military leadership
05:18and the members of the vibrant Indian diaspora
05:21that we have seen in the four ports on the east coast of India,
05:25in the east coast of the United States.
05:28And engaging on a global level
05:30as a global partner
05:32with the world leaders of the United States,
05:35it is a diplomatic way
05:38of reaching out and strengthening the bonds
05:41and the bridges of friendship
05:42that we have fostered over the past few decades.
05:47Unfortunately, I couldn't get on board
05:49when you were here in Baltimore.
05:51But I'm very curious to know
05:53what were the reactions of the guests
05:56who were on board?
05:57How did you all welcome them?
05:59You said, you know, a slice of Indian heritage.
06:01Was there some Indian food on board?
06:04Talk to us about, you know,
06:05how the guests were treated on board
06:07on INS Sudharshini.
06:09So, whenever we had any guests coming on board
06:12to be that the Indian diaspora or the foreign personnel,
06:15the first thing we did treat them to
06:18was the Indian masala chai,
06:20which is the most famous tea.
06:22And all the foreign people,
06:24all the foreign diaspora,
06:26the one thing they do associate India with
06:28is our food and our culture.
06:31So, giving them a sense of
06:34what India is purely made of on the hospitality,
06:38just a small cup of tea
06:39actually went a long way
06:41in them getting a sense of
06:43what India has to offer
06:45in terms of hospitality.
06:46And each and every person
06:48who came on the vessel
06:49was personally hosted
06:51by one of my crew,
06:53taken around the vessel,
06:54shown about each and every aspect of the ship
06:56and any questions they had
06:58or any queries they had
07:00to post to us
07:01were answered in person
07:03and not left to
07:04just an anticipation of understanding
07:06from the media
07:07or learning from the Google.
07:09So, a personal one-on-one connect
07:12that India is very known for.
07:14That is what we engaged
07:15the diaspora herein
07:17and the response that we received
07:19has been overwhelming
07:20and everybody told us
07:23that this has been the best experience
07:25of all the tall ships
07:26that they have visited
07:26in Boston
07:27or in the previous ports as well.
07:30Talking about the other tall ships,
07:33what conversations really stood out
07:35with your other colleagues
07:36from other nations,
07:38your counterparts?
07:40What was their impression
07:42of INS Sudarshini?
07:45So, one thing which
07:47constantly resonated
07:48with all the tall ship captains
07:49and the tall ship crew
07:50was Indian Navy's ship
07:53Sudarshini
07:54is the only one
07:55which has travelled
07:56the length and breadth
07:57of all the oceans
07:58between Indian Ocean
07:59to Atlantic
08:01and we are the only ship
08:02which has travelled from Asia
08:04and we happen to have
08:06travelled the longest
08:07of all the tall ships
08:09to reach the shores
08:10of United States
08:11having travelled 14,000 nautical miles
08:14across four different
08:15oceans and water bodies.
08:17So, everybody resonated
08:18that a 54 meter vessel
08:20like ours
08:20was able to navigate
08:22the toughest oceans possible
08:24and travelled such
08:26farthest distances
08:27almost half way
08:28across the world.
08:30So, the resilience
08:31and the professionalism
08:32that was showcased
08:33by the ship
08:34and her crew
08:35was actually a testament
08:36that all the tall ships
08:38and their captains
08:38and crew
08:39were constantly reminding us
08:41of and appreciative
08:42of.
08:42So, that stood time
08:44that we have been able
08:46to showcase
08:47Indian Navy's resilience
08:49and its far-reaching capabilities
08:50as far as maritime
08:53I'll say
08:54the maritime power
08:54is concerned.
08:56Right.
08:58Now,
08:58during this Sail 250
09:00you know,
09:01there were several events
09:02were there any interactions
09:04with you know,
09:05officials from the
09:06Trump administration
09:07were you,
09:08did you receive calls
09:10from back home
09:11whether it's
09:12the government
09:12back home
09:13you know,
09:15just to
09:17basically
09:18upbeat
09:18the whole
09:19voyage?
09:21Definitely,
09:22we have been
09:23constantly getting
09:23calls from
09:24back home
09:25requesting for
09:26certain
09:27infractions
09:28that were planned
09:29definitely here
09:30from Indian diaspora
09:31as well as the
09:33US establishments.
09:34Predominantly,
09:35our interactions
09:35have been limited
09:36to the mayors
09:37of the cities
09:38that we have been
09:39docked at
09:40and the governors
09:41of the host states
09:42and our interactions
09:43have been
09:44with the bureaucracy
09:45and the diplomatic
09:46channels
09:47of the host state
09:48and the host city
09:49at that.
09:51Directly with the
09:52Trump administration
09:53we have not had
09:54any contacts
09:55but all the
09:56channels of
09:56communication
09:57have been
09:57vetted through
09:58the embassies
09:59especially the
10:00embassy of India
10:00as well as
10:01the Indian
10:02Navy
10:03and the Indian
10:04government
10:04and those
10:05were the channels
10:06that we followed
10:06through as far
10:07as our infractions
10:07are concerned.
10:09Okay,
10:09my last question
10:10what message
10:11do you hope
10:12this void
10:13sends about
10:14India's Navy
10:15beyond the
10:16pump and show
10:17beyond the
10:18ceremony
10:18beyond the
10:19optics?
10:21So,
10:22beyond the
10:23grand parades
10:24and the
10:24polished bras
10:25and the
10:25tall sails
10:26and the ropes
10:27that are visible
10:28and evident
10:28to everyone
10:29one important
10:31message that we
10:31would love to
10:32pass is
10:33Indian Navy
10:34possesses the
10:35global reach
10:36and unmatched
10:36endurance
10:37and the
10:38fundamental
10:38seamanship
10:39abilities
10:40to operate
10:41anywhere in
10:42the world
10:42and by
10:43grounding our
10:43future leaders
10:44the cadets
10:45that we had
10:46under training
10:47with us
10:47to the
10:49elements of
10:50sail training
10:51we ensured
10:52that as a
10:53modern Navy
10:53advances into
10:54a high-tech
10:55future
10:55it remains
10:56anchored
10:57by the
10:58grit
10:58adaptability
10:59and the
10:59core maritime
11:00skills
11:00which are
11:01necessary to
11:01handle any
11:02exigency
11:03and any
11:03challenge
11:04in any
11:04of the
11:05oceans.
11:06The
11:07basics of
11:07navigation
11:08and ocean
11:08fairing
11:09once
11:10astound
11:10and strong
11:11they hold
11:12one in
11:13a good
11:13stead
11:14a personal
11:15example
11:16being
11:16I myself
11:17got trained
11:18on my
11:19sister ship
11:19INS
11:20Tarangini
11:20about 17
11:21years ago
11:22and the
11:23training that
11:23I was
11:23imparted
11:24way back
11:24still holds
11:26good and
11:26still holds
11:27strong and
11:27my basics
11:28have been
11:28absolutely
11:28nurtured
11:29well by
11:30my seniors
11:30and my
11:31instructors
11:31which helped
11:32me in
11:33being able to
11:34command this
11:34vessel for
11:35the past
11:3614 months
11:36and travel
11:37about 14,000
11:39nautical miles
11:39from the
11:40Indian shores
11:40all the way
11:41here and
11:42by the end
11:42of this
11:43journey we
11:44are sure
11:45and optimistic
11:46that we will
11:46be able to
11:47complete the
11:47entire voyage
11:48without any
11:49major misgivings
11:49because our
11:50training has
11:50been that
11:51good and
11:52the Indian
11:52Navy's reach
11:53and the
11:53capabilities in
11:54shipbuilding
11:54and the
11:55training that
11:56has been
11:56imparted to
11:56the naval
11:57seamen and
11:58the naval
11:59marine and
12:00naval sailors
12:01and officers
12:02has been of
12:03such high
12:03quality that
12:05it can stand
12:05all the
12:06tests on
12:06tribulations
12:07that the
12:08seas have
12:08to offer
12:09to us
12:09that is
12:10one message
12:11that we
12:11would like
12:11to pass
12:12and as
12:12India and
12:13Indian Navy
12:14always stands
12:15by the
12:15principle of
12:16Vasudhaiva
12:17Kutumbakam
12:17that means
12:18world is
12:19one big
12:19family
12:20the land
12:21divides us
12:22but the
12:23oceans
12:23unite us
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