Prime Minister Narendra Modi spent the celebration of Diwali with sailors on the Indian-made aircraft carrier INS Vikrant, which he proudly called a “towering symbol of ‘Aatmanirbhar Bharat'” (Self-Reliant India).
The Prime Minister came on Sunday night and quietly boarded the huge, home-built aircraft carrier off the coast of Goa. Since 2014, this is the latest time he has celebrated the festival of lights with the country’s military troops.
Modi talked on how he personally connects to the ritual by noting, “People love celebrating Diwali with their families.” And so do I, which is why I meet with the Army and security forces who keep our country safe every year. He said that being among the gallant Navy soldiers throughout the festival made his Diwali “special.”
A Night of Navy Strength and Patriotism
There were a lot of things going on that night that showed how strong and high-spirited the Indian Navy is:
The Prime Minister saw an amazing show of ability and technology as MiG-29 fighters took off and landed on the tiny runway of the aircraft carrier, both during the day and at night. Modi said it was an “awe-inspiring” show of “precision and prowess.”
Bara Khana and Cultural Evening: Modi went to the traditional ceremonial feast, Bara Khana, with Navy men and then went to a lively cultural event.
The best part of the cultural evening was a special patriotic song called “Operation Sindoor.” The officers and sailors wrote and sang it to honor the Indian Armed Forces’ accomplishment in Operation Sindoor. Sources say the Prime Minister was really moved by the performance because he thought it showed what it was really like to be a soldier on the battlefield.
An Inspiring Speech on the Flight Deck
Modi did yoga on the deck on Monday morning before watching a huge steampast of warships and a flypast of planes. He gave an impressive speech while standing on the flight deck surrounded by MiG 29K fighter jets.
The Prime Minister talked about the carrier not merely as a warship, but also as a promise for the country’s future. “INS Vikrant is more than just a warship. “It shows how hard, talented, influential, and dedicated India is in the 21st century,” he remarked.
He also talked about India’s missile power, saying that the name BrahMos “strikes fear in some minds” and that a lot of countries want to buy these missiles presently. Modi ended by saying how hard it was to convey the experience into words, especially the “immense energy and enthusiasm” of the staff.
The Strength of INS Vikrant
INS Vikrant, which was built in India and launched in 2022, is the country’s first home-made aircraft carrier and the largest warship ever built there. It is India’s second operational aircraft carrier, after INS Vikramaditya, which was built on a Russian basis.
The Prime Minister saw the Western Fleet in full show during the naval might demonstration. The steampast included well-known vessels like INS Vikramaditya, the new destroyers INS Surat and INS Mormugao, and many others (INS Chennai, INS Imphal, INS Kolkata, etc.). The flypast featured a number of naval planes, such as the Chetak, MH 60 R, Seaking, and MiG 29K fighters.