Press Release - Visit INS Sarvekshak Mauritius 

Under the Memorandum of Understanding for cooperation in the field of hydrography that was signed between the Governments of India and Mauritius in October 2005, the sixth Indo-Mauritian Joint Hydrographic Committee meeting was held in January 2011 at Dehradun in India. Following this meeting, the Government of the Republic of India deployed Indian Naval Ship INS Sarvekshak in Mauritian waters from February 17 to March 26, 2011 to undertake the following tasks and hydrographic surveys requested by the Government of the Republic of Mauritius

• (A) Survey of Rodrigues to the delimitation of the continental shelf.
• (B) Survey of Port Louis Harbour
• (C) Survey go to Mauritius Coast
• (D) Verification of maintenance equipment survey with the Government of Mauritius
• (E) Undertake training of the investigation and the Mauritian staff NCG.

2. INS Sarvekshak conduct surveys and tasks in three phases. The ship has already begun the first phase of the investigation outside Rodrigues February 17-22, 2011. During the second phase of February 26 to March 6, 2011. The third phase of the investigation will be 10-19 March 2011. The ship is also studying the offshore areas of Port Louis Harbour and impart a thorough agents of the Mauritian National Survey and Coast Guard training. The ship also ship agents Mauritian survey during its investigations in the three phases of the training on the use of modern equipment electronics.

3. This is the third visit of INS Sarvekshak Mauritius to undertake hydrographic surveys - His previous visits were in February 2006 and March 2007. The ship was commissioned in March 2002. Sarvekshak name means "one who looks at the hidden dangers." INS Sarvekshak has a staff of 15 officers and 170 sailors. It carries an array of the most modern equipment hydrographic, oceanographic, geophysical and systems. These include the state of the art digital and Survey Processing System, multibeam swath echo-sounding system, the latest GPS datums, gravimeters, magnetometers, sound velocity profiling system, etc. , thus providing the vessel with the ability of mapping the seabed characteristics with accuracy and compliance with international standards set by the International Hydrographic Organization (IHO). INS Sarvekshak is commanded by Captain Adhir Arora, a specialist in hydrography and hydrographic support as a Surveyor. He has held important positions in ships active research board service and at different levels, including the senior instructor at the National Hydrographic School, Goa, India.

4. During its presence in Mauritian waters Sarvekshak INS will use Port Louis 23-26 February 2011, 7-10 March 2011 and 19-23 March, 2011. While in Port-Louis, the officers and sailors of INS Sarvekshak will play friendly matches Volleyball and Basketball with the officers and men of the NCG. The ship will carry out various philanthropic activities well-being of the community. These include volunteering in a home for the destitute, donation etc. The ship will be open to the public March 19, 2011 1000 to 1200 hours and 1400 hours to1730.

5. A visit to the INS Sarvekshak is a further demonstration of enhanced cooperation between India and Mauritius on maritime issues bilateral cooperation. The survey work done by the INS Sarvekshak be of great assistance to Mauritius in the field of fisheries, ecosystem conservation and management, the creation of artificial reefs, the delimitation of the continental shelf Mauritius and safe navigation of ships and crafts. The total charge of the investigative work for a period of 30 days and card printing marine navigation would amount to more than 2 million which is supported by the Indian government, as has been done for last five deployments.