In a feat that combines courage, endurance, and maritime excellence, Indian Navy officers Lt Cdr Roopa A and Lt Cdr Dilna K have successfully circumnavigated the globe aboard INSV Tarini.
The groundbreaking 238-day expedition, covering more than 25,600 nautical miles, concluded with their triumphant return to Goa, marking the first-ever global sailing mission by Indian women in ‘double-handed’ mode.
Lt Cdr Roopa A summed up the experience with poignant clarity: "The world of the sea is the same planet but a whole different world."
The duo undertook the eight-month voyage as part of the Navy’s Navika Sagar Parikrama II (NSP II) expedition, with crucial backup support from the Indian Navy. Their journey was flagged off on October 2, 2024, by Chief of Naval Staff Admiral Dinesh Tripathi from INS Mandovi in Goa.
Defence Minister Rajnath Singh welcomed the officers and their vessel at Mormugao Port Authority in Vasco. Hailing the sailors as national icons, he declared, "You have not just gone around Earth but you have also made a place in the heart of every Indian." Visibly moved, he added, "After meeting you both today, I feel as if a father is meeting his two daughters."
Acknowledging the expanding role of women in India’s defence forces, Singh cited their significant contributions during aerial missions, including Operation Sindoor.
Admiral Tripathi called the voyage a “historic milestone” for the Navy, noting the positive influence of Singh’s ongoing interaction with the crew during their voyage.
Lt Cdr Dilna K, reflecting on the journey, stated: “Yes, we made it. On October 2, we left Goa with a lot of hope and courage... Today, we stand here alive and strong together.”
She added that carrying the Indian flag across continents was a proud moment, and wherever they docked, they were met with cheers and admiration. For Dilna, the voyage was also deeply personal — a promise kept to her late father. “He is no more with me, but I felt his presence throughout the journey,” she said, also expressing gratitude to her mother and husband: “You let me fly. I wish everyone gets a husband like mine.”
Lt Cdr Roopa A described the expedition as transformative, saying: “I felt like I lived all my seven lives in these eight months.” She reflected on the deep friendship formed with her sailing partner: “In this voyage I found a friend in you and a friend in myself whom I can trust lifelong.” Dedicating the journey to her family for supporting her unconventional path, she remarked: “There was no end to the earth or challenges in this journey.”
Recounting some of the challenges, Roopa recalled a critical moment when the navigation system blacked out. “It took us three hours, but felt like an eternity to get back the control,” she said. The ocean, she noted, revealed many moods — from towering 20-foot waves to serene stretches that felt almost divine. Even as they neared home, the monsoon kept them alert.
The route was grueling and historic. After 39 days of continuous sailing, the first stop was Fremantle, Australia, on November 9, 2024. From there, they sailed across the Great Australian Bight and the Tasman Sea to reach Lyttelton, New Zealand, by December 22. The most demanding stretch was the leg to Port Stanley, completed on February 18, 2025.
A standout achievement came on January 30, when INSV Tarini became the first sailing vessel to cross Point Nemo — the Oceanic Pole of Inaccessibility — in the remote South Pacific.
The journey then continued through the formidable ‘Roaring Forties’ and across the Prime Meridian to Cape Town, South Africa, where the vessel arrived on March 31, 2025, before beginning the final stretch home to India.
Reflecting on their epic journey, Roopa stated: “This is an Indian dream which we were breathing and living.”