In continuation of Indian Navy’s endeavour to build ‘Bridges of Friendship’, Sail Training Ship INS Tarangini of the Indian Navy is visiting Trincomalee from 27 February-02 March 2026 and Colombo from 06-09 March 2026 to provide ocean sailing training and experience to Sri Lanka Navy trainee officers during harbour phase and sea phase. The ship commanded by Commander Nitin Gajjar, is on return passage from Visakhapatnam after taking part in International Fleet Review 2026.
The Indian Navy is one amongst the few navies in the world that operates Sail Training Ships in this modern era of engines and gas turbines. INS Taranginiwas designed by world famous yacht designer Colin Mudie and indigenously built at the Goa Shipyard Limited with a resilient steel hull, adorned with aluminium deckhouse and opulent teak wood. Her length overall is about 54 m and she displaces about 500 tons, carrying 20 sails with a total sail area of over 10,000 square feet and 200 ropes which measure over 20 km in length when laid out.
The ship being a three masted barque is the first of the Sail Training Ships (STS) of the Indian Navy. She is part of the First Training Squadron based at Kochi and her primary role is to impart sail training to officer trainees of the Indian Navy and Indian Coast Guard. The ship’s complement constitutes of 07 officers and 30 sailors and can accommodate upto 30 cadets at a time.
The name Taranginiis derived from the Hindi word ‘Tarang’ meaning waves, thus Tarangini means ‘the one that rides the waves’. The ship holds the unique distinction of being the first Indian Naval Ship to have circumnavigated the globe, a feat achieved in 2004, during which Taranginicovered 35,000 nm calling on 37 ports in 18 countries. In 2008, the ship retraced the routes taken by ancient Indian seafarers towards South East Asia (Jakarta, Singapore and Phuket) highlighting India’s rich maritime heritage and ocean going capabilities. Taranginihas been a flag bearer of Indian Navy’s diplomatic endeavours building ‘Bridges of Friendship’ through five Lokayanvoyages, winning Tall ship races at US and Europe and participating in Fleet Reviews including IFR 26 at Visakhapatnam.
The ship during port call at Trincomalee will embark 03 officers and 25 trainee officers from Sri Lanka Navy for Ocean sailing training and experience during passage to Colombo. Even in today’s age of cutting-edge technology and automation, training onboard a Sail Training Ship continues to provide the ideal opportunity to learn the fundamentals of seamanship, understand the elements of sea and wind while fostering time-honoured values of courage, camaraderie and endurance in future naval officers which form the bedrock of naval way of life. The ocean sailing experience provided by Indian Navy is expected to encourage keen enthusiasm amongst the Sri Lanka Navy for this adventure.
