Prez Murmu undertakes maiden sea sortie aboard INS Vaghsheer at Karwar Naval base

Karwar (Karnataka) : President Droupadi Murmu on Sunday undertook a sea sortie on the Western Seaboard aboard the Indian Navy’s indigenous Kalvari-class submarine INS Vaghsheer from the Karwar Naval Base in Karnataka. Chief of Naval Staff Admiral Dinesh K Tripathi accompanied the President during the sortie.
President of India’s post on X read, “President Droupadi Murmu embarked the Indian Navy’s indigenous Kalvari class submarine INS Vaghsheer at Karwar Naval Base, Karnataka. 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.”
This marks President Murmu’s maiden sortie aboard a Kalvari-class submarine, making her the second President of India to undertake such an experience after former President Dr APJ Abdul Kalam. “This maiden sortie onboard a Kalvari Class Submarine by President Droupadi Murmu is the second by President of India, after former President Dr APJ Abdul Kalam,” the post further read. INS Vagsheer, the sixth P75 Kalvari-class submarine, was officially commissioned into the Indian Navy in the presence of Prime Minister Narendra Modi on January 15, 2025. The event was also attended by Defence Minister Rajnath Singh, Indian Navy Chief Admiral Dinesh Tripathi and several other senior dignitaries. Naval Group’s Chairman & CEO, Pierre Eric Pommellet, was also present alongside Naval Group’s team from France and India to mark this significant milestone, according to a Naval Group release.
INS Vagsheer is built by the Indian shipyard Mazagon Dock Shipbuilders Limited (MDL) based on the Naval Group’s Scorpene design.
Launched on 20 April 2022, INS Vagsheer has completed successful sea trials and now has joined its sister vessels INS Kalvari, INS Khanderi, INS Karanj, INS Vela and INS Vagir, which were commissioned respectively in December 2017, September 2019, March 2021, November 2021 and January 2023.
The commissioning of INS Vagsheer highlights the success of India’s indigenous submarine construction programme. This submarine has been fully built by MDL, with technology transfer from Naval Group, in line with the Indian Government’s “Make in India” policy. Meanwhile, according to the President’s Secretariat, on December 29, the President will grace the centenary celebrations of Ol Chiki at Jamshedpur, Jharkhand. On the same day, she will also address the 15th convocation ceremony of NIT, Jamshedpur. On December 30, the President will address an Antarrajyiy Jansanskritik Samagam Samaroh – Kartik Jatra at Gumla, Jharkhand.