Maitri, Hindi for friendship, is a long, U-shaped, tan-colored building with a large Indian flag over the entrance. Maitri’s winter and summer complement is 25 and 65, respectively. Built in 1989 on adjustable telescopic legs, and located some 80km inland from the coast, it replaces India’s first Antarctic base, Dakshin Gangotri, which was established as a refuge hut in January 1982. In 1984 another Gangotri was constructed further inland, in the Schirmacher Hills, and the first group wintered over there.
Gangotri, which was becoming buried in ice, is now used as a supply base and transit camp and for ice-core storage.