Droupadi Murmu becomes second Indian President to undertake submarine sortie

Former Indian president APJ Abdul Kalam was the first to undertake such a sortie in February 2006.

The President, who is also the Supreme Commander of the Armed Forces, took off the Kalvari-class submarine from the Karwar naval base in Karnataka. She was accompanied by Chief of Naval Staff Admiral Dinesh K Tripathi.

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… pic.twitter.com/8LWzOkc4Ut

— President of India (@rashtrapatibhvn) December 28, 2025

Taking over a post on X, the President’s Secretariat shared, “President Droupadi Murmu embarked the Indian Navy’s indigenous Kalvari class submarine INS Vaghsheer at Karwar Naval Base.”

Donning a naval uniform, Murmu waved at naval personnel before entering the submarine, according to news agency PTI.

Photographs shared by the President’s Secretariat showed Murmu in naval uniform, waving to naval personnel before entering the submarine. (Image via X: @rashtrapatibhvn)

INS Vaghsheer is the sixth and final submarine inducted under the Project-75 Scorpene programme and was commissioned into the Navy in January this year.

The submarine is equipped with wire-guided torpedoes, anti-ship missiles and advanced sonar systems, enhancing India’s underwater combat capabilities.