Shattered stereotypes: Rajnath honours all-women tri-service sailing teamDefence Minister Rajnath Singh felicitated nine women officers who completed the first-ever tri-service all-women global circumnavigation sailing expedition, praising their 314-day voyage as a symbol of Nari Shakti, military jointness and resilience that challenged gender stereotypesBy PTI Published Date - 30 July 2026, 09:05 PMNew Delhi: Defence Minister Rajnath Singh on Thursday felicitated the nine women officers of the armed forces, who have successfully completed the first-ever tri-service all-women circumnavigation sailing expedition, and said their feat has “shattered stereotypes” that women could not accomplish arduous military missions. Every daughter in India can look at you and believe that she, too, can cross oceans and conquer the world,” he told the women officers. Singh felicitated the nine officers of the three Services, who have returned home after successfully completing the sailing expedition ‘Samudra Pradakshina’ onboard the Indian Army Sailing Vessel (IASV) Triveni. Describing the women officers’ capabilities and confidence as “incredible”, Singh asserted that the successful completion of ‘Samudra Pradakshina’ “shattered the stereotypes that claimed that women cannot accomplish arduous military missions”. The women officers shared their experiences with Singh, highlighting that the expedition’s demanding nature made the voyage both “memorable and rewarding”.