President Droupadi Murmu undertakes submarine sortie aboard INS Vaghsheer at Karwar

Karwar: President Droupadi Murmu on Sunday undertook a submarine sortie aboard the Indian Navy’s indigenous Kalvari-class submarine INS Vaghsheer at the Karwar Naval Base in Karnataka, marking a rare and significant event.

The President, who is the Supreme Commander of the Armed Forces, embarked on the submarine for a sortie along the Western Seaboard as part of an interaction with the Navy. She was accompanied by the Chief of Naval Staff Dinesh K. Tripathi, senior naval officers and crew members during the voyage.

This marks the first time President Murmu has undertaken a submarine sortie and makes her only the second President of India to do so. Former President A. P. J. Abdul Kalam had earlier carried out a similar submarine voyage in 2006 from Vishakhapatnam. 

INS Vaghsheer is part of the Kalvari class of submarines built under India’s indigenous submarine programme, reflecting the country’s growing capabilities in naval defence and underwater warfare. The sortie highlighted the operational readiness of the Indian Navy and the strategic importance of the Karwar naval base, which serves as a key hub for maritime operations on the western coast.