Navy to showcase maritime capabilities with operational demonstration off Kerala coast

New Delhi/Thiruvananthapuram: The Indian naval force is set to showcase its maritime prowess and combat capabilities with a mega operational demonstration off the coast of Kerala on Wednesday, which is being held as part of the Navy Day celebrations.

President Droupadi Murmu is scheduled to attend the event at Shangumugham Beach in Thiruvananthapuram as the chief guest.

Nineteen major war vessels, including India's indigenous aircraft carrier INS Vikrant, one submarine, four fast intervention boats, and 32 aircraft — fighter jets, surveillance planes and helicopters — will be part of the show, a top naval officer said in Thiruvananthapuram on Tuesday.

This mega event will provide a unique opportunity to the citizens to witness various facets of Indian Navy's multi-domain operations, enhance maritime awareness among them and honour India's rich seafaring heritage, officials said.

It will bring alive the Navy’s formidable combat capabilities, technological excellence, and operational readiness, while reflecting the nation’s growing maritime strength and self-reliance, they added.

The operational demonstration will feature coordinated manoeuvres by frontline platforms symbolising the Navy’s ability to "deliver power and precision across the maritime spectrum." The event will highlight seamless coordination of surface, sub-surface and aerial assets, reflecting the Navy’s preparedness to secure India's maritime frontiers, the officials said.

The showpiece demonstration will take place as part of the celebrations to mark the Navy Day, which falls on December 4.

Addressing a press conference in Delhi ahead of it, Navy Chief Admiral Dinesh K Tripathi on Tuesday said this year's Navy Day theme is 'Combat-ready, Cohesive, Atmanirbhar Navy: Safeguarding National Maritime Interests Anytime Anywhere Anyhow'.

"I want to tell the many youths out there who might wonder why Navy Day is marked on December 4. It is to commemorate Indian Navy's audacious and decisive strike on Karachi on December 4, 1971, that changed the course of war," he said.

The Navy chief also said the operational demonstration at Shangumugham Beach, as part of the Navy Day celebrations, was being held there for the first time.

Last year, the operational demonstration was held at Odisha's Puri Beach, a Blue Flag Beach, and President Murmu attended it. A year prior to that, Maharashtra's Sindhudurg hosted the event.

This is in continuation of Indian Navy's effort to organise the event at a location other than major naval stations, officials said.

On Operational Demonstration 2025, Flag Officer Commanding-in-Chief of the Southern Naval Command, Vice Admiral Sameer Saxena, told reporters a day ago that it will reflect the Navy's preparedness and "ability to deliver power and precision across the maritime spectrum." He further said Navy Day is also an "acknowledgement of the Indian Navy's role in Operation Trident in the 1971 war, and more importantly, it is a tribute to the bravery, courage and valour of our men who made the supreme sacrifice." The 1971 India-Pakistan War started on December 3 and ended 13 days later on December 16 after the fall of Dhaka, which led to Pakistan's surrender and the creation of the country of Bangladesh from the region that was earlier known as East Pakistan.

Navy Day serves as a reminder of the naval force's "vital role" during the 1971 War. The missile boats of the Indian Navy had launched a daring attack on Karachi harbour as part of Operation Trident.

"This decisive action not only demonstrated India's maritime strength but also precision, courage and strategic brilliance," officials said.

The operational demonstration will showcase Indian Navy's state-of-the-art operational platforms and its resolve as the 'preferred security partner' in the Indian Ocean Region (IOR) guided by the broader vision of MAHASAGAR -- Mutual and Holistic Advancement for Security and Growth Across Regions, they said.

Reflecting the vision of Aatmanirbhar Bharat, the demonstration will feature a range of indigenously built assets representing India’s growing self-reliance in defence manufacturing, the defence ministry earlier said.

These platforms embody the Navy’s sustained efforts under the 'Make in India' vision to build a modern, technologically advanced, and future-ready maritime force.

"The celebration will also highlight the Navy’s state of preparedness and deterrent capability as displayed during Operation Sindoor, reaffirming its ability to strike with precision, speed, and dominance," it has said.

The operational demonstration off the coast of Kerala will be a celebration of Indian Navy's "maritime excellence as a combat-ready, cohesive, credible, 'aatmanirbhar' force, safeguarding seas for a 'Viksit' and 'Samriddha Bharat' (developed and prosperous India), the defence ministry said.