President Droupadi Murmu Embarks on Submarine INS Vaghsheer Sortie

India's President, Droupadi Murmu, who also serves as the Supreme Commander of the Armed Forces, participated in a sea dive aboard the Indian Navy submarine INS Vaghsheer on the Western Seaboard this past Sunday. The President boarded the submarine from the Karwar Naval Harbour in Karnataka, accompanied by Admiral Dinesh K. Tripathi, the Chief of the Naval Staff.

During the excursion, which lasted over two hours, President Murmu engaged with the submarine's crew and observed various operational demonstrations, providing her with direct exposure to the challenging conditions faced by submariners.

This marks President Murmu as the second Indian head of state to embark on a submarine journey, following A. P. J. Abdul Kalam's similar experience in 2006. Her embarkation on the indigenous Kalvari-class submarine reinforces the ongoing engagement between the nation's Supreme Commander and the Armed Forces in operational environments.

In her entry in the visitor’s book, the President expressed that the experience was profoundly inspiring.

“It was indeed a very special experience for me to sail, dive and spend time with our sailors and officers onboard INS Vaghsheer. The multiple successful firings and challenging operations carried out by INS Vaghsheer demonstrate the crew’s exceptional preparedness and dedication, in accordance with its motto ‘Veerta Varchasva Vijaya’. Witnessing the discipline, confidence and enthusiasm of the Vaghsheer crew assures me that our submarines and the Indian Navy are combat-ready against any threat and under all circumstances.”

In November 2024, the President had previously observed an operational demonstration by the Indian Navy on the indigenous aircraft carrier INS Vikrant.

This recent sortie emphasizes India's advancing indigenous naval capabilities and signifies the nation's trust in the Indian Navy's submarine arm's professionalism, preparedness, and combat readiness.