INS Sudarshini Reaches Portugal After 19-Day Atlantic Crossing

The Portuguese Navy welcomed INS Sudarshini on its arrival at Ponta Delgada, continuing the maritime engagement between the two countries during the ship’s overseas voyage.

Indian Navy sail training ship INS Sudarshini has reached Ponta Delgada in Portugal's Azores after completing a demanding 19-day journey across the Atlantic Ocean, adding another major passage to its ongoing Lokayan 2026 voyage.

The ship entered the Portuguese port on August 13 after sailing from Boston in the United States, completing what is its second Atlantic crossing. The voyage has tested the endurance and seamanship of the crew while giving those on board practical experience of handling a sailing vessel during an extended transoceanic passage.

INS Sudarshini has travelled more than 15,000 nautical miles during Lokayan 2026, carrying India's maritime traditions to ports overseas while serving as a platform for naval engagement and cultural interaction.

Portuguese Navy welcomes Indian crew

The Portuguese Navy welcomed INS Sudarshini on its arrival at Ponta Delgada, continuing the maritime engagement between the two countries during the ship's overseas voyage. During the port call, the Commanding Officer of INS Sudarshini met Comodoro Luís Nicholson Lavrador, Commander of the Azores Maritime Zone, providing an opportunity for professional interaction between representatives of the Indian and Portuguese navies.

The ship's stay in the Azores will include professional engagements, operational replenishment and cultural exchanges, allowing the crew to prepare for the next stage of the voyage while interacting with their Portuguese counterparts.

Such port visits give naval personnel an opportunity to build professional relationships away from formal exercises, with conversations and cultural exchanges adding a personal dimension to cooperation between maritime forces.

Second Atlantic crossing tests crew's seamanship

A 19-day Atlantic passage aboard a sail training ship demands continuous teamwork, careful navigation and the ability to respond to changing conditions at sea, making the Boston-to-Azores leg an important part of the crew's training experience. INS Sudarshini's second crossing of the Atlantic also demonstrates the endurance required for a voyage that has already covered more than 15,000 nautical miles.

Sail training vessels retain a distinctive role in naval training because operating them requires personnel to work closely with wind, weather and sea conditions while developing practical skills in navigation, teamwork and ship handling. For the crew, each extended passage brings together traditional seamanship and the discipline expected aboard a modern naval vessel, with the long periods at sea providing experience that cannot be fully recreated through shore-based instruction.

Lokayan voyage carries India's maritime story overseas

INS Sudarshini is undertaking Lokayan 2026 not only as a training voyage but also as a floating representative of India, using international port calls to share the country's maritime heritage and build goodwill with partner nations. The visit to the Azores places India's naval presence in a strategically important Atlantic archipelago while giving the ship another opportunity to strengthen people-to-people and professional connections with Portugal.

As INS Sudarshini continues its journey beyond Ponta Delgada, the vessel carries forward a combination of training, diplomacy and maritime tradition that sits at the heart of Lokayan 2026. With thousands of nautical miles already behind it, the ship's progress across international waters reflects the demanding nature of the voyage and the experience being accumulated by its crew with every new passage and port call.