GANDHINAGAR (PTI): Chief of Naval Staff Admiral R Hari Kumar on Wednesday said the Navy is committed to become fully 'Atmanirbhar' or self-reliant by 2047 when India will be celebrating 100 years of its independence.

The Navy chief made the remarks at the convocation of Karnavati University, a private varsity situated near Uvarsad village in Gandhinagar district.

"In the words of Defence Minister Rajnath Singh, the defence sector is a major demand creator and the Indian Navy has a proud track record in that regard. With 65 warships and submarines under construction at various shipbuilding yards, Indian Navy aims to be the torchbearer of Atmanirbhar Bharat," said Kumar in his address as the chief guest.

"And we have made a commitment to the national leadership, to become fully Atmanirbhar by 2047. When we look at the economic part of it, every rupee spent on ship-building triggers a circulation of Rs 1.82. In addition to ship-building, the demand spectrum of the Navy also ranges from heavy machinery, like propulsion, power, and associated auxiliaries, to high-end weapons and electronics," he said.

He also asserted that the country is "on course to become a fully developed nation by 2047".

"I am convinced that this aspirational growth will be founded on the knowledge, energy and enthusiasm of young and brilliant minds coming out of educational institutions," Kumar added.

"Our nation is going through the most exciting times since Independence. We live in an egalitarian society. We have moved from being the 10th largest economy to fifth largest economy in the world in less than a decade. And we are set to be the third largest economy before the end of this decade," the Navy chief said.

A country's growth is connected to exports through the seas, and with 95 per cent of India's trade by volume and 68 per cent by value transiting upon the seas, the livelihood of every citizen is linked with the seas, Kumar said.

"The Indian Navy is entrusted with the task of protecting and promoting our maritime trade as well as preserving our maritime interests. So we also contribute to economic development and overall nation building efforts," he said.

Gujarat has many luminaries and leaders who have shaped and who continue to influence the destiny of India, "be it Mahatma Gandhi, Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel or our Prime Minister Narendra Modi", said Kumar, adding that the enterprising traders of Gujarat had explored the world and established trade linkages across the oceans for centuries.

As many as 869 students were conferred degrees on the 4th convocation of Karnavati University.