It is a proud day for India as President Shri Ram Nath Kovind awards the Submarine Arm of the Indian Navy with the prestigious President’s Colour in Visakhapatnam today.

The date of 8th December 2017 will remain forever etched in the history of the Submarine arm of Indian Navy in golden letters as the award of Presidents Colour is the highest honour which can be bestowed upon any military unit. It was today morning that our President Shri Ram Nath Kovind has ppresented the same in an event in Visakhapatnam today.The President’s Colour was received by Rear Adm Veenam Srinivas, Flag Officer Submarines on behalf of the Submarine Arm at a splendid ceremony at Eastern Naval Command, Visakhapatnam.

Also in attendance at this event for awards of President Colour were Shri ESL Narasimhan, Governor of Andhra Pradesh and Telangana, Shri N Chadrababu Naidu, Chief Minister of Andhra Pradesh, Shri Ashok Gajapathi Raju, Union Minister of Aviation, Adm Sunil Lanba PVSM, AVSM, ADC, Chief of the Naval Staff and Vice Adm Karambir Singh Flag Officer Commanding-in-Chief Eastern Naval Command along with other senior Defence and Civilian dignitaries were present
on the occasion.

Shri Ram Nath Kovind, President of India was profuse in congratulating the Submarine Arm of the Indian Navy and said that the valiant submarines of the Indian Navy carry out their professional responsibility with great skill and grave risk. He spoke on behalf of the nation that as one India is proud of the achievement. The contribution of the submamrine arm of the Indian Navy to the
national security was truly appreciated by all country men.

The commissioning of the first Submarine, INS Kalvari on 08 Dec 1967 laid the foundation of the Submarine Arm. 2017, the Golden Jubilee year is being celebrated as the “Year of the Submarine” by the Indian Navy. The submarine arm has been at the forefront of all offensive operations of the Indian Navy and playing a key role in the 1971 Indo Pak war. During the 1971 war four submarines were actively deployed on both the Eastern and Western Maritime theatres of operations in the Bay of Bengal and the Arabian Sea. Their presence achieved the desired deterrent effect and
restricted the enemy operation at sea to a considerable extent.

Personnel of Submarine Arm were awarded one Maha Vir Chakra, two Vir Chakras, one Shaurya Chakra and a number of Mention–in–Dispatches for acts of bravery during the war. Indian Navy by way of its Maritime Strategy has adopted a strategy of Deterrence to maintain peace and submarines play the most important part of the Indian Navy strategy. The Indian Navy was first of the three Services to be presented the President’s Colour on 27 May 1951. And today this honour was bestowed on the Submarine Arm in Eastern Naval Command, Visakhapatnam in recognition of the service rendered both in peace and at war.