INS Vagsheer, the sixth P75 Kalvari-class submarines, had made headlines earlier this year in January 2025, after being officially commissioned into the Indian Navy. The vessel once again hit the headlines on Sunday (December 28, 2025) as President Droupadi Murmu undertook a sortie in it, marking a symbolically powerful engagement with undersea forces.
President Murmu took her maiden submarine sortie at the Karwar naval base in 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,” Rashtrapati Bhavan said in a statement.
By embarking aboard INS Vaghsheer, an indigenous Kalvari-class submarine, Murmu became only the second President of India to experience a submarine sortie.
President Murmu submari sortie: Why INS Vaghsheer matters to Navy
INS Vaghsheer is part of India’s Kalvari-class submarines, built under the Make in India programme to strengthen the Navy’s underwater combat capability. These submarines form the backbone of India’s conventional submarine fleet and play a crucial role in deterrence, surveillance and sea-denial operations along the Western Seaboard.
The submarine is developed by leading defence PSU Mazagon Dock Shipbuilders. Launched on April 20, 2022, INS Vagsheer completed successful sea trials and has joined its sister vessels INS Kalvari, INS Khanderi, INS Karanj, INS Vela and INS Vagir, which were commissioned between 2017 and 2023.
By choosing an indigenous platform for the sortie, the President’s visit highlighted India’s growing self-reliance in submarine design and construction.
What message does this send on national security?
The President’s submarine sortie is widely seen as a strong morale booster for the armed forces and a reaffirmation of the country’s focus on maritime security. Karwar Naval Base is a key hub for India’s western maritime operations, hosting frontline surface and underwater assets.
Such high-level engagements underscore the importance of undersea warfare in India’s defence posture, particularly amid evolving security challenges in the Indian Ocean Region.
How did Rashtrapati Bhavan describe the event?
Sharing images from the sortie, the official Rashtrapati Bhavan handle on X said, “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.”
It added that Admiral Dinesh K Tripathi accompanied the Supreme Commander during the sortie.
Why are such sorties rare?
Submarine sorties by Heads of State are exceptionally rare due to the operational sensitivity and demanding environment of underwater missions. President Murmu’s maiden submarine sortie reflects the Navy’s confidence in its platforms and crews, while also showcasing the operational readiness of India’s undersea arm.
Worth mentioning here is that former (Late) APJ Abdul Kalam was the first president to undertake a submarine sortie.