New Delhi – President Droupadi Murmu on Sunday embarked the Indian Navy’s indigenous Kalvari-class submarine, INS Vaghsheer, at the Karwar Naval Base in Karnataka and undertook a dived sortie, marking a rare and historic moment, officials said.
“The President is undertaking a sortie on the Western Seaboard. Chief of Naval Staff Admiral Dinesh K. Tripathi is accompanying the Supreme Commander of the Armed Forces,” an official from the President’s Secretariat said in a post on X.
Describing the occasion as historic, the official noted that this maiden sortie onboard a Kalvari-class submarine by President Murmu is only the second such experience by a President of India, after former President Dr A.P.J. Abdul Kalam.
During the engagement, the President undertook a fully dived sortie aboard INS Vaghsheer on the Western Seaboard. She was briefed on the strategic role of the submarine arm in India’s maritime doctrine, its operational capabilities, and its contribution to safeguarding national maritime interests.
The President also interacted with the crew of INS Vaghsheer and commended them for their dedication, professionalism, and spirit of selfless service. She described the indigenous submarine as a shining example of the Indian Navy’s professional excellence, combat readiness, and unwavering commitment to national security.
Earlier this year, on October 29, President Murmu undertook a sortie in a Rafale fighter aircraft at Air Force Station Ambala in Haryana, becoming the first President of India to fly in two different fighter aircraft of the Indian Air Force. She had previously flown in a Sukhoi-30 MKI in 2023.
Air Force Station Ambala is the first base in India to receive Rafale aircraft from Dassault Aviation in France. During the Rafale sortie, the President flew for around 30 minutes, covering nearly 200 kilometres before returning to the base.
The aircraft was piloted by Group Captain Amit Gehani, Commanding Officer of the 17 Squadron, flying at an altitude of approximately 15,000 feet and a speed of about 700 km per hour.
Later, in the visitors’ book, the President wrote that she was delighted to visit Air Force Station Ambala for her maiden flight on the Rafale aircraft of the Indian Air Force.
“The sortie on Rafale is an unforgettable experience for me. This first flight on the potent Rafale aircraft has instilled in me a renewed sense of pride in the nation’s defence capabilities. I congratulate the Indian Air Force and the entire team of Air Force Station Ambala for organising this sortie successfully,” she wrote.
With inputs from IANS