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PM Modi Celebrates Diwali Aboard INS Vikrant, Calls It Symbol of India’s Power and Self-Reliance

  • By Thetripurapost Desk, Goa/Karwar
  • Oct 20, 2025
  • 549

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Monday celebrated Diwali aboard India’s first indigenous aircraft carrier INS Vikrant, praising the Navy’s valour and the nation’s strides in defence self-reliance.

Calling the warship a “symbol of India’s power and pride,” Modi said INS Vikrant gave “sleepless nights to Pakistan” during Operation Sindoor, when it led a major deployment in the Arabian Sea following the April 22 Pahalgam terror attack.

 “INS Vikrant reflects the capability of India’s armed forces. Its very name shatters the enemy’s courage even before a battle begins,” the Prime Minister said, addressing naval personnel off the Goa–Karwar coast.

 

Modi described spending the night aboard the carrier as a “humbling experience,” adding that watching the vast ocean under moonlight and the sunrise over the sea made his Diwali “even more special.”

“The glow of the sun’s rays on the ocean’s waters felt like Diwali lamps lit by brave soldiers,” he said.

 

Reflecting on the Navy’s recent operational alert, Modi commended its readiness and professionalism, noting that INS Vikrant’s deployment alongside 8–10 warships marked one of India’s largest real-time naval operations outside routine exercises.

The Prime Minister also recalled the moment when the Navy adopted a new ensign inspired by Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj, shedding remnants of its colonial past.

Hailing the warship as a “powerful symbol of Atmanirbhar Bharat,” Modi said it embodies the success of the Make in India initiative.

 “The indigenous Vikrant, cutting through the oceans, reflects India’s growing military capability. Today, a new warship or submarine joins the Navy almost every 40 days,” he noted.

 

Modi highlighted India’s rising defence exports, particularly the BrahMos missile, and expressed confidence that India would soon be among the world’s top arms exporters. He credited startups and indigenous defence manufacturers for the rapid transformation in the sector.

In a separate remark, the Prime Minister said India was “on the threshold of complete freedom from Maoist violence,” adding that the number of affected districts had fallen from 125 to just 11.

 “While 90 per cent success has been achieved, I am confident our forces will soon eradicate this menace entirely,” he said.