President Droupadi Murmu on Thursday hailed the services of the Indian Navy, saying that the defence force has the mandate to protect, preserve, and promote country's maritime interests against the several backdrops including piracy, armed robbery, drug smuggling, illegal human migration and natural disasters. Addressing an event after launching India's newest warship 'INS Vindhyagiri' at the Garden Reach Shipbuilders and Engineers Ltd's (GRSE) facility on the banks of Hooghly River in West Bengal's Kolkata, Murmu said that the Navy has to always remain proactive in tackling security threats.

'The security in the Indian Ocean Region, and the larger Indo-Pacific has many aspects. It includes piracy, armed robbery, drug smuggling, illegal human migration, natural disasters and several such issues. Against this backdrop, the Indian Navy has the mandate to protect, preserve, and promote India's maritime interests. The Navy has to always remain proactive in tackling security threats,' she said. The President also extended her best wishes to the Indian Navy for the launch of the warship.