On 28 December 2025, President Droupadi Murmu, the Supreme Commander of the Armed Forces, undertook a rare dived operational sortie onboard INS Vaghsheer, an indigenous Kalvari-class submarine, on the Western Seaboard. She embarked the submarine from Karwar Naval Harbour, Karnataka, accompanied by Chief of the Naval Staff Admiral Dinesh K. Tripathi, and spent over two hours at sea interacting with the crew and observing live operational demonstrations.
President Murmu became only the second President of India to undertake a submarine sortie, after Dr A. P. J. Abdul Kalam. Describing the experience as special and memorable, she praised the successful firings, demanding operations, and the crew’s exceptional preparedness and dedication, reflecting the submarine’s motto “Veerta Varchasva Vijaya.”
She expressed confidence that the Indian Navy’s submarine arm is fully combat-ready to meet any threat. The sortie follows her earlier operational engagement with the Navy in November 2024 aboard INS Vikrant, highlighting her continued engagement with the Armed Forces.
