President Droupadi Murmu undertook a sortie on board the Indian Navy's INS Vaghsheer on Sunday, marking a significant moment as she became the second Indian President to experience a submarine dive. The submarine sortie took place on the Western seaboard at the Karwar naval base in Karnataka.
The President, who is also the Supreme Commander of the armed forces, was accompanied by Chief of Naval Staff Admiral Dinesh K. Tripathi. Prior to entering the submarine, President Murmu, donned in a naval uniform, was seen waving at the naval personnel. During the two-hour sortie, she interacted with the submarine crew and witnessed operational demonstrations, gaining firsthand insight into the vessel's capabilities.
INS Vaghsheer, a Kalvari-class submarine, was commissioned into the Navy in January. It represents a significant achievement in India's indigenous submarine construction program. Built by Mazagon Dock Limited in Mumbai, in collaboration with the French Naval Group, the INS Vaghsheer is a diesel-electric attack submarine based on the Scorpène class. It is the sixth and final submarine of the Kalvari-class submarines under Project 75. The submarine is named after the sandfish, a deadly deep-sea predator of the Indian Ocean. The previous INS Vagsheer (S43) was a Vela-class submarine which served from 1974 to 1997.
The INS Vaghsheer is equipped to undertake a wide range of missions, including anti-surface warfare, anti-submarine warfare, intelligence gathering, area surveillance, and special operations. It possesses advanced stealth technology, including reduced radiated noise levels and a hydro-dynamically optimized design, making it one of the quietest submarines in the world. It is armed with 18 torpedoes, anti-ship missiles, and advanced sonar systems. The submarine can launch precision-guided weapons, including both torpedoes and tube-launched anti-ship missiles, simultaneously, whether submerged or surfaced. It has a maximum diving depth of 350 metres and can remain at sea for 50 days. The submarine can travel at speeds of 11 knots (20 km/h) when surfaced and 20 knots (37 km/h) when submerged.
President Murmu expressed her appreciation for the crew's commitment and lauded the submarine as a symbol of the Indian Navy's excellence, combat readiness, and dedication to national security. She noted that witnessing the crew's discipline, confidence, and enthusiasm assured her that the Indian Navy is combat-ready against any threat and under all circumstances.
Prior to this submarine sortie, President Murmu had witnessed an operational demonstration by the Indian Navy onboard the indigenous aircraft carrier INS Vikrant in November 2024. This recent event further underscores the President’s engagement with the Armed Forces in operational settings.
Former President APJ Abdul Kalam was the first President to undertake a submarine sortie, having done so in February 2006 on board INS Sindhu Rakshak at Visakhapatnam.
