Prime Minister Narendra Modi celebrated Diwali with the Indian Navy aboard INS Vikrant, India’s first indigenous aircraft carrier, off the coast of Goa and Karwar on Monday, continuing his annual tradition of spending the festival with the armed forces.
Addressing hundreds of Navy personnel, the Prime Minister said he felt “fortunate” to celebrate the festival of lights among the “brave defenders of the nation.” He described the moment as “memorable,” saying, “On one side, I see the boundless ocean, and on the other, the strength of Mother India’s soldiers. The sun’s reflection on the water is like the glow of Diwali lamps lit by your courage.”
Praising INS Vikrant as a symbol of India’s rising power and self-reliance, Modi said it represents “21st-century India’s hard work, innovation, and commitment.” He lauded the Navy’s role in Operation Sindoor, launched in May after a terror attack in Jammu and Kashmir’s Pahalgam, which he said brought Pakistan “to its knees.”
Recalling his night aboard the carrier, Modi said the enthusiasm of the sailors and their patriotic songs about Operation Sindoor reflected the spirit of a “new, confident India.”
