NEW DELHI :
PRIME Minister Narendra Modi
extended Navy Day greetings
to the force personnel on
Thursday and said the Indian
Navy is synonymous with
“exceptional courage and determination”.
Navy Day on December 4
serves as a reminder of the naval
force’s “vital role” during the
1971 India-Pakistan War. The
missile boats of the Indian Navy
had launched a daring attack
on the Karachi harbour as part
of Operation Trident.
“Navy Day greetings to all
personnel of the Indian Navy.
Our Navy is synonymous with
exceptional courage and determination. They safeguard our
shores and uphold our maritime interests. In the recent
years, our Navy has focussed on
self-reliance and modernisation. This has enhanced our
security apparatus,” Modi said
in his post.
He also recalled a recent occasion when he spent time with
naval personnel on board INS
Vikrant, India’s indigenous aircraft carrier.
“I can never forget this year’s
Diwali, which I spent with Naval
personnel on board INS Vikrant.
Wishing the Indian Navy the
very best for their endeavours
ahead,” the Prime Minister said.
INS Vikrant, frontline frigate
INS Udaygiri, destroyer INS
Kolkata and several other stateof-the-art naval platforms were
part of an operational demonstration by the Navy off the coast
of Kerala’s
Thiruvananthapuram on
Wednesday evening. It was witnessed by President Droupadi
Murmu.
Murmu, the supreme commander of the armed forces,
attended the event on the
Shangumugham beach as part
of the Navy-Day celebrations,
as the Navy showcased its maritime prowess and multidomain combat capabilities.
In a post on X on Thursday,
she extended greetings to the
Indian Navy personnel, veterans and their families on Navy
Day. “Warm greetings to Indian
Navy personnel, veterans and
their families on Navy Day!
The
nation salutes the brave men
and women who safeguard our
maritime borders and national interests with courage, vigilance and unwavering commitment. From securing trade
routes and strengthening the
blue economy to leading
humanitarian missions, the
Indian Navy embodies discipline, compassion and responsibility,” the president said.
Navy chief Admiral Dinesh K
Tripathi also offered his greetings and reaffirmed the force’s
commitment to ensuring the
safety and security of India’s
maritime interests.
“On occasion of
#NavyDay2025 we renew our
pledge to serve the Navy and
the Nation with Duty,
Honour and Courage, and continue to stand firm as a
#CombatReady, #Credible,
#Cohesive and #FutureReady
#Aatmanirbhar Force committed to protecting and promoting India’s National
Maritime Interests -- Anytime,
Anywhere, Anyhow” -- Adm
Dinesh K Tripathi #CNS & all
personnel of #IndianNavy,” he
said.
In his address at the operational demonstration held a
day ago, the admiral had said
Navy Day is celebrated on
December 4 each year to commemorate the “daring and decisive attacks of the Indian Navy
on and off the Karachi harbour
during the 1971 India-Pakistan
war”. “The day also offers us an
opportunity to pay homage to
our brave warriors, whose
courage and supreme sacrifice
continue to inspire us in service of the Navy and the nation,”
he had said.
Navy Day is also about India’s
rich maritime heritage -- a heritage that continues to “shape
our thinking and guide our
course” -- Admiral Tripathi had
said.
Taking to X, Defence Minister
Rajnath Singh said, “On the
occasion of Navy Day, I extend
my warm greetings and best
wishes to all personnel and
families of the Indian Navy. As
the largest resident naval power in the Indian Ocean, the Navy
continues to uphold India’s
maritime interests with valour,
vigilance and commitment to
Aatmanirbharta, and anchors
India’s journey towards ‘Viksit
Bharat’.”
Union Home Minister Amit
Shah also said “warm greetings
to the warriors of the Indian
Navy on Navy Day 2025.
The
Indian Navy is the citadel of our
pride that stands on the ocean,
bulwarking the nation from
every threat with invincible valour and shielding our growth
through maritime routes. The
golden saga of patriotism they
have scripted with ultimate sacrifice will inspire generations
of warriors,” HM Shah posted
on X