Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Monday praised the Navy aboard INS Vikrant, saying the warship gave sleepless nights to Pakistan during Operation Sindoor. He said he felt fortunate to celebrate Diwali this year among Navy personnel aboard the indigenous aircraft carrier off the coast of Goa and Karwar.
"INS Vikrant reflects the capability of India's armed forces. Its very name gave Pakistan sleepless nights during Operation Sindoor," the Prime Minister said, adding that it was not just a warship, but a testimony to 21st-century India's hard work, talent, impact and commitment.
"INS Vikrant is a name that shatters the enemy’s courage even before a battle begins. This is the power of INS Vikrant," he stressed. In the wake of the April 22 Pahalgam terror attacks, the Navy was placed on high alert in the Arabian Sea, prompting Pakistan to issue warnings amid fears of a possible naval strike. At the heart of the deployment was INS Vikrant, accompanied by 8 to 10 warships.
This deployment marked one of the Indian Navy’s largest real-time operational movements outside routine peacetime exercises.
Reflecting on his experience of spending the night aboard the warship, PM Modi said, “I learned the importance of living in the moment. Your dedication is so immense that I could not fully live it, but I have definitely experienced it. I can imagine how challenging it must be to live through this every day.”
PM Modi also said that witnessing the deep ocean at night and the early morning sunrise made his Diwali even more special.
"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," he added.
The Prime Minister added that watching the Navy personnel sing patriotic songs and depict Operation Sindoor in them, “no words can truly capture what a soldier feels on the battlefield.”
The Prime Minister recalled when the warship was being handed over to the nation, the Navy shed a major symbol of colonial legacy and adopted a new flag inspired by Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj. Modi described INS Vikrant as a powerful symbol of Atmanirbhar Bharat and the success of his flagship Make in India initiative.“The indigenous Vikrant, cutting through the oceans, reflects India’s growing military capability,” he said, emphasising that self-reliance is vital for strengthening the armed forces.
Over the past decade, he noted, India’s defence sector has made rapid strides toward indigenisation, while production has more than tripled in the past 11 years, with a new warship or submarine joining the Navy roughly every 40 days.
PM Modi also highlighted the global demand for the BrahMos missile and expressed confidence that India will soon rank among the world’s top defence exporters.
He credited startups and indigenous defence units for playing a crucial role in this transformation, saying the new generation of innovators is showing great promise.In his remarks, PM Modi also said India is on the threshold of freedom from Maoist violence and "this freedom is knocking on our doors".
Earlier, 125 districts were in the grip of Maoist terror, but now that has been reduced to just 11 districts.
"While 90 per cent success has been achieved, I'm confident that police forces will succeed in completely eliminating Maoist violence," he said.