Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Monday said the government is committed to increasing the strength of women in the armed forces.

He was speaking at the Navy Day event held in coastal Sindhudurg district of Maharashtra.

“We are emphasising increasing the number of women in the armed forces,” he said.

“Today, India is setting bigger targets for itself and is utilising its full potential to achieve those targets," he said.

Modi said India is giving unprecedented support to port-led development. "Merchant shipping is also being encouraged. India is moving towards utilising the potential of its oceans," he said.

He said ranks in the Indian Navy would be renamed according to the Indian culture.

Shortly before the Navy Day event, Modi unveiled a statue of Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj at Rajkot fort in the district.

Modi later witnessed the operational demonstrations by Indian Navy ships, submarines, aircraft and Special Forces from the Tarkarli beach.

Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by The Telegraph Online staff and has been published from a syndicated feed.