Prime Minister Narendra Modi, while addressing naval personnel aboard the majestic INS Vikrant off the coast of Goa, lauded the exceptional coordination among India’s tri-services, crediting their unity and courage for swiftly bringing Pakistan “to its knees” during Operation Sindoor.

He described the Navy’s fearlessness, the Air Force’s precision, and the Army’s valour as the defining factors behind India’s decisive success.

He praised the INS Vikrant as a proud emblem of Aatmanirbhar Bharat and a testament to India’s growing defence self-reliance. Built at the Cochin Shipyard, the aircraft carrier was celebrated by the Prime Minister as a historic milestone that symbolised the nation’s departure from its colonial past.

PM Modi noted that even the very name of INS Vikrant instils fear in adversaries, recalling its critical role in recent military operations that unsettled Pakistan’s leadership.

Spending a night aboard the warship, Modi witnessed an impressive demonstration of naval air power, including MiG-27 aircraft performing flight operations at sea. Reflecting on these exercises, he remarked that when faced with confrontation, the ability to fight independently gives a decisive upper hand, and India’s armed forces have consistently proven their capacity to act with autonomy and strength.

The Prime Minister emphasised that true military strength is inseparable from self-reliance. He commended the armed forces for reducing import dependency and ensuring that essential equipment is increasingly produced domestically.

Modi highlighted the success of indigenous missile systems such as BrahMos and Akash, which had demonstrated their effectiveness during Operation Sindoor and attracted global attention from prospective buyers.

Underscoring the nation’s industrial progress, Modi revealed that India’s defence production has more than tripled in the past eleven years, surpassing ₹1.5 lakh crore in the previous fiscal year. Since 2014, domestic shipyards have delivered over forty indigenously built warships and submarines to the Navy, equating to the induction of a new platform approximately every forty days — a record achievement in India’s maritime modernisation.

He further articulated India’s ambition to become one of the world’s top defence exporters, noting that exports have grown more than thirtyfold in the past decade. The Prime Minister credited this success to innovation and efficiency within India’s burgeoning network of defence start-ups and indigenous industries. He reaffirmed that such ventures are driving the country towards technological resilience and global competitiveness.

Modi also extended appreciation to the Indian Coast Guard for its constant and vigilant partnership with the Navy in securing India’s maritime borders. He underlined the importance of seamless coordination between all naval elements in safeguarding national interests across the vast Indian Ocean region.

In conclusion, he recalled the ceremonial moment when INS Vikrant was commissioned into service, describing the ship as grand, immense, panoramic, unique, and exceptional — a living testament to India’s maritime prowess and self-reliant spirit.

The Prime Minister’s address aboard the carrier served not only as a tribute to the armed forces’ achievements but also as a reaffirmation of India’s unwavering commitment to indigenous defence excellence.

Based On PTI Report