Murmu became the second President to experience a submarine sortie. In February 2006, APJ Abdul Kalam undertook a similar sortie onboard INS Sindhu Rakshak.

Chief of Naval Staff Admiral Dinesh K Tripathi accompanied President Murmu during the over two-hour sortie in the Kalvari class "silent sentinel" from the Karwar naval base in Karnataka, officials said.

The President's office said she undertook a "dived sortie" onboard INS Vaghsheer and interacted with the submarine crew and witnessed the operational demonstrations."

The President is also the Supreme Commander of the armed forces. Murmu, writing in the visitor's book later, said it was a "very special experience" for her to "sail, dive and spend time" with the sailors and officers onboard the submarine.

"The multiple successful firings and challenging operations carried out by INS Vaghsheer demonstrate the crew's exceptional preparedness and dedication, in accordance with its motto 'Veerta Varchasva Vijaya'," she wrote.