By Chaitali Bag
On December 4, 2023, Prime Minister Narendra Modi was present at the programme commemorating “Navy Day 2023” at Sindhudurg, Maharashtra. Additionally, he saw the “Operational Demonstrations” from Tarkarli beach in Sindhudurg, which included ships, submarines, planes, and special forces from the Indian Navy. The guard of honour was inspected by the Prime Minister who highlighted the importance of naval capabilities for any nation and the significance of Veer Shivaji Maharaj’s statue at Rajkot Fort.
Inspired by the ideals of Chhatrapati Shivaji, the Prime Minister said that the India of today is moving forward abandoning the slavery mentality. He expressed happiness that the epaulets donned by Naval Officers will now highlight the heritage and legacy of Chhatrapati Shivaji as the new epaulets will be like the naval ensign. With the feeling of taking pride in one’s heritage, the Prime Minister announced that the Indian Navy will name its ranks in line with Indian traditions. He also emphasized strengthening Nari Shakti in the armed forces and congratulated the Indian Navy on the appointment of India’s first woman commanding officer in a naval ship.
The trust of 140 crore Indians is the biggest strength as India is setting big goals and working to achieve them with full determination. The Prime Minister emphasized the unity of resolutions, emotions, and aspirations as people of diverse states are being driven by the spirit of ‘nation first’. The country has taken inspiration from history and is busy preparing a roadmap for a bright future.
Reflecting on India’s widespread history, the Prime Minister emphasized that it is not about slavery, defeats, and disappointments alone but also comprises the glorious chapters of India’s victories, courage, knowledge and science, art and creative skills, and India’s maritime capabilities. He highlighted India’s capabilities by giving the example of forts like Sindudurg which were erected when technology and resources were next to none.
The Prime Minister credited India’s maritime strength for the expansion of trade to countries of Southeast Asia by the Chola Empire. He lamented that India’s maritime power first came under attack by foreign powers and highlighted regaining the lost glory including the government’s unprecedented impetus to the Blue Economy. He mentioned the port-led development under ‘Sagarmala’ and the ‘Maritime Vision’, which led to an increase in seafarers in India by more than 140 percent in the last 9 years.
The Prime Minister also touched upon the strength of Made in India and highlighted the importance of treating coastal and border villages as the first villages instead of the last. He mentioned the creation of the separate fisheries ministry in 2019 and 40 thousand crore rupees investment in the sector. He highlighted the government’s commitment to the development of the region, including the inauguration of medical colleges in Sindhudurg, Ratnagiri, Alibaug, Parbhani and Dharashiv, operations of Chipi Airport, and the Delhi-Mumbai Industrial Corridor connecting till Mangaon. He mentioned special schemes being drafted for cashew farmers in the region and the importance of safeguarding residential areas situated on the seacoast.
The Prime Minister underlined the importance of heritage and development in developing India, stating that central and state governments are determined to preserve forts and forts built during Chhatrapati Veer Shivaji Maharaj’s time. He stated that hundreds of crores of rupees are being spent on the conservation of these heritages in the entire Maharashtra region, including Konkan. This would increase tourism in the area and create new employment and self-employment opportunities.
He discussed the new tradition of holding Armed Forces Day such as Army Day and Navy Day outside Delhi, expanding the occasion to all over India and attracting new attention. Raksha Mantri Rajnath Singh termed the unveiling of the statue of Chhatrapati Shivaji as a moment of privilege, highlighting the country’s progress and achievements made in the last 9-10 years.
Rajnath Singh stressed that the Navy was not considered important until a decade ago, but PM Modi rose above this limited thinking and focused on all three wings of the Armed Forces alike. The nation has witnessed unprecedented progress and achievements made under the leadership of Prime Minister Modi, with villages adjacent to the border now being considered the first villages of the country.
The Indian Navy celebrates 4th December as Navy Day every year to acknowledge the role of the Indian Navy and commemorate its achievements in Operation Trident during the 1971 Indo-Pak War. The Navy Day Celebrations were conducted outside any major naval station, for the first time, at Tarkarli beach in Sindhudurg Taluk of Malvan District of Maharashtra. The event featured the unveiling of a spectacular 43-foot-high statue of Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj at the Rajkot Fort by the Prime Minister, conceived and conceptualized by the Indian Navy and funded by the government of Maharashtra.
Navy Day celebrations aim to foster greater outreach, renew maritime consciousness amongst the citizens, and highlight the Navy’s contributions to national security and nation-building.
Excerpts from the publication of Ministry of Defence, India
