PM Modi Celebrates Diwali Onboard Warship INS Vikrant off the Coast of Goa and Karwar with Navy Personnel; 40 Indigenous Warships Since 2024
Last year, the prime minister celebrated the festival with the armed forces near the Indo-Pak border in Kutch.
PM Modi Celebrates Diwali Onboard Warship INS Vikrant off the Coast of Goa and Karwar with Navy Personnel; 40 Indigenous Warships Since 2024: Continuing his tradition of celebrating Diwali with the armed forces, Prime Minister Narendra Modi celebrated the festival onboard INS Vikrant off the coast of Goa and Karwar with Navy personnel on Monday.
Addressing the personnel on the occasion, PM Modi called the day “amazing and memorable” and said, “Today, on one side, I have the ocean, and on the other, I have the strength of the brave soldiers of Mother India."
"Today, on one side, I have infinite horizons, infinite sky, and on the other side, I have this giant, INS Vikrant, embodying infinite powers. The glow of the sun's rays on the ocean's waters is like the Diwali lamps lit by brave soldiers,” PM Modi added.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi said he was fortunate to celebrate the festival of lights with the naval personnel. “The night spent yesterday on INS Vikrant is hard to put into words. I saw the immense energy and enthusiasm you all were filled with. When I saw you singing patriotic songs yesterday, and the way you described Operation Sindoor in your songs, no words can ever fully convey the experience that a jawan feels standing on a battlefield,” PM said.
According to ANI, the 262-meter-long INS Vikrant has a full displacement of nearly 45,000 tonnes, making it much larger and more advanced than its predecessor. The ship is powered by four gas turbines generating a total of 88 MW of power and can reach a maximum speed of 28 knots. Built at an overall cost of nearly 20,000 crore rupees, the project was completed in three phases of contracts between the Ministry of Defence and Cochin Shipyard Limited (CSL), concluded in May 2007, December 2014, and October 2019, respectively.
The ship’s keel was laid in February 2009, followed by its launch in August 2013. With an overall indigenous content of 76%, INS Vikrant stands as a testament to India’s “Aatma Nirbhar Bharat” vision and provides momentum to the government’s ‘Make in India’ initiative. With the delivery of Vikrant, India joined a select group of nations capable of designing and building aircraft carriers indigenously.
In his address, Prime Minister Modi also highlighted the strength of India’s military equipment, calling it “impressive in themselves, but what makes them truly formidable is the courage of those who operate them.”
“I have been with you since yesterday. In every moment, I have learned something. When I left Delhi, I thought I would live this moment myself. But your hard work, penance and dedication are on such a high level that I could not truly live it. I did, however, gain an understanding of it. I can only imagine how difficult it must be to truly live this life..." PM Modi said.
Expressing a sense of contentment, the Prime Minister said, "Being close to you, feeling your breath, sensing your heartbeat, and seeing the sparkle in your eyes, I realised something profound. I slept a little early yesterday, which I normally don’t do. The reason I slept early was that after observing you all day, the sense of fulfilment I felt inside was not my own sleep, but the sleep of contentment."
Prime Minister Modi said that the deep night of the ocean and the sunrise that morning had made his Diwali special in many ways. He also extended Diwali greetings to the people of the country in his speech.
“Most importantly, heartfelt Diwali wishes to your families as well," PM said, adding, "Everyone wants to celebrate Diwali with their family. I, too, am accustomed to celebrating Diwali among my family members. That is why I come to celebrate Diwali among all of you, whom I consider my family. I am also spending quality time with my family here. This Diwali is truly special for me."
The Prime Minister added, "INS Vikrant is not just a warship; it is a testament to India’s hard work, talent, capability, and commitment in the 21st century. The day India received the Swadeshi INS Vikrant, our Indian Navy discarded a major symbol of colonial subjugation. Inspired by Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj, our Navy adopted a new flag..."
Taking a jibe at Pakistan, Prime Minister Modi said, "... Just a few months ago, we witnessed how the very name Vikrant sent waves of fear across Pakistan. Such is its might — a name that shatters the enemy’s courage even before the battle begins. This is the power of INS Vikrant.”
Prime Minister Modi once again hailed the Indian Armed Forces personnel for their performance during Operation Sindoor.
PM said, "The fear generated by the Indian Navy, the extraordinary skill displayed by the Indian Air Force, the bravery of the Indian Army, and the tremendous coordination among the three forces compelled Pakistan to surrender so quickly during
Operation Sindoor. Therefore, today, once again, from this sacred and heroic ground of INS Vikrant, I salute the brave personnel of all three forces. When the enemy is in front, when there is a threat of war, the side that can fight on its own strength always has the advantage. For the armed forces to be strong, their self-reliance is essential..."
PM Modi stated that in the past four decades, India’s defence production has more than tripled. “Last year alone, it reached a record of around 1.5 lakh crore rupees... Since 2014, India has delivered over 40 indigenous warships and submarines to the Navy... Now, on average, a new indigenous warship or submarine is being inducted into the Navy every 40 days. Our missiles like BrahMos and Akash have also proven their capability in #OperationSindoor,” said PM Modi.
He further stated that many countries around the world now wish to purchase these missiles. “Whenever I meet experts, they all express the same desire, that they too want access to them..." PM Modi added.
"Our goal is to see India counted among the world’s leading defence exporters,” PM said, adding that in the last decade, India’s defence exports have increased by more than 30 times.
PM Modi cited defence startups and indigenous defence units as key reasons behind the success of India’s increasing defence exports.
Last year, the prime minister celebrated the festival with the armed forces near the Indo-Pak border in Kutch.
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