“The mere mention of INS Vikrant put the whole of Pakistan to sleep,” PM Modi celebrated Diwali with the Navy on the high seas.

PM Modi celebrated Diwali on board INS Vikrant (Photo: Screengrab)

Prime Minister Narendra Modi celebrated Diwali with naval personnel aboard INS Vikrant, sharing his experience of spending the night there and praising the personnel’s dedication, calling it special.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi is celebrating Diwali with the personnel on board INS Vikrant. In his address on Monday October 20, 2025 , he said he felt fortunate to celebrate Diwali among the naval personnel on board the indigenously built aircraft carrier INS Vikrant this year.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi is celebrating Diwali with the soldiers on board INS Vikrant. In his address on Monday, he said that he feels fortunate to celebrate Diwali among the naval personnel on board the indigenous aircraft carrier INS Vikrant this year.

Recalling his experience of spending the night on the aircraft carrier, he told the personnel, “I have been among you since yesterday, and every moment I have learned something new about living the moment. Your dedication is so high that even though I could not live it, I have certainly experienced it. I can imagine how difficult it must have been to go through this.”

Prime Minister Modi also said that seeing the deep sea at night and the sunrise in the morning makes his Diwali even more special.

He said, “Today, on one side I have the infinite horizon, the endless sky, and on the other side is this mammoth INS Vikrant, a symbol of infinite power. The sun’s rays glint on the ocean waters like Diwali lamps lit by valiant soldiers.”

Prime Minister Narendra Modi said, “Just a few months ago, we saw how the name Vikrant alone sent a wave of terror across Pakistan. Such is its power—a name that can demoralize the enemy even before a war begins. This is the power of INS Vikrant. On this occasion, I would like to especially salute our armed forces.”

The Prime Minister said that seeing naval personnel singing patriotic songs and depicting Operation Sindoor, “words cannot describe what a soldier feels on the battlefield.”

The Prime Minister described INS Vikrant as a great symbol of self-reliant India and Make in India. He said that the day the country received the indigenous INS Vikrant, the Indian Navy had renounced a major symbol of slavery. The Indian Navy had renounced a major symbol of slavery. The Indian Navy adopted a new flag inspired by Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj. The indigenous Vikrant, tearing through the oceans, is a reflection of India’s military capability.

Emphasis on Self-Reliance in Defense

The Prime Minister said that self-reliance is essential for the armed forces to become strong. Over the past decade, our armed forces have been rapidly moving towards self-reliance. Our armed forces have prepared a list of thousands of items that will not be imported. As a result, most of the equipment required by the military is being manufactured domestically.

PM Modi stated that defense production has more than tripled in 11 years. He said that a warship or submarine is joining the Indian Navy every 40 days. The Prime Minister expressed hope that India will become one of the world’s top defense exporters. He also said that many countries around the world want to purchase the BrahMos missile.

Praising the dedication of the soldiers, the Prime Minister said that their dedication is so high that he could not live it, but he certainly experienced it. He emphasized the important role of defense startups and said that our indigenous defense units and startups are also showing strength.