Droupadi Murmu, President of India, will undertake a historic sea sortie in an Indian Navy submarine from Karwar Harbour on December 28, her office announced.
With this, President Murmu will become only the second Head of State of India to experience an undersea submarine sortie. Earlier, former President A P J Abdul Kalam had undertaken a submarine sortie on February 13, 2006, from Visakhapatnam.
The submarine sortie is scheduled during the President’s four-day visit to Goa, Karnataka, and Jharkhand, beginning December 27. She will depart for Goa on the evening of December 27, according to a statement issued by Rashtrapati Bhavan.
A First in Aerial and Undersea Experience
President Murmu has already scripted history as the first President of India to take sorties in two frontline fighter aircraft of the Indian Air Force. She flew in a Rafale fighter jet on October 29, 2025, and earlier undertook a sortie in a Sukhoi Su-30MKI in 2023.
The upcoming submarine sortie further highlights her deep engagement with the Armed Forces and her emphasis on understanding India’s air, sea, and undersea defence capabilities.
Other Key Engagements
Following the naval engagement, President Murmu will travel to Jharkhand, where she will grace the centenary celebrations of Ol Chiki at Jamshedpur on Monday. On the same day, she will also address the 15th convocation ceremony of National Institute of Technology Jamshedpur.
On December 30, the President will address the Antarrajyiy Jansanskritik Samagam Samaroh (Kartik Jatra) at Gumla.
The submarine sortie at Karwar marks yet another symbolic and substantive milestone, underscoring the President’s close association with India’s armed forces and her role in highlighting the nation’s growing strategic and military capabilities.
