INS SAGARDHWANI FLAGS OFF FOR SAGAR MAITRI V

• Sagar Maitri (SM) is a flagship oceanographic-cum-diplomatic mission run by DRDO's Naval Physical and Oceanographic Laboratory (NPOL), Kochi, using the research vessel INS Sagardhwani, aligned with the SAGAR doctrine for the Indian Ocean Region (IOR).
• Relevant for UPSC across GS-II (India & neighbourhood, IOR diplomacy), GS-III (S&T, defence R&D, indigenisation) and Prelims (defence/marine S&T current affairs).