Karwar: President Droupadi Murmu on Sunday undertook a deep-sea operational sortie aboard the Indian Navy submarine INS Vaghsheer along the western seaboard. Admiral Dinesh K. Tripathi, the Chief of the Naval Staff, accompanied her during the visit.
The president boarded the submarine at the Karwar Naval Harbour in Karnataka. During the sortie, which lasted for over two hours, she engaged with officers and sailors onboard and observed a range of operational manoeuvres and demonstrations carried out by the crew, according to an official statement.
With this experience, Murmu became the second Indian president to undertake a submarine sortie, following former President A.P.J. Abdul Kalam.
The embarkation marked her first visit aboard an indigenous Kalvari-class submarine and highlighted the continued operational engagement of the Supreme Commander of the Armed Forces with frontline units. Earlier, in November 2024, the president had observed a naval operational exercise aboard the country’s first indigenous aircraft carrier, INS Vikrant.
After completing the sortie, the president recorded her impressions in the visitor’s book. She noted that the experience of sailing, diving, and spending time with the crew was deeply memorable. She praised the submarine’s successful weapon firings and complex operational drills, stating that they reflected a high level of preparedness, professionalism, and commitment in line with the vessel’s motto. The discipline, confidence and morale displayed by the crew, she said, reinforced her confidence in the Indian Navy’s ability to remain fully prepared to respond to any challenge under all conditions.
