At a time when tiger population is on the wane all over the country, the Asiatic lion count in its last natural habitat — the Gir jungles in Gujarat — has increased substantially.
Chief Minister Narendra Modi proudly announced on Sunday that the lion population in the Gir National Park and its surrounding areas has touched 411, a significant rise from the 359 in 2005.
Compared to 205 in 1979, the Asiatic lion population in Gir has doubled in 30 years to reach 411 in 2010, Modi said, commenting that it was Gujarat’s gift to the global community struggling to find ways and means to effectively conserve wildlife.
The lion census, called ‘population estimation’ by forest officials, is conducted every five years to assess the efficacy of the various conservation measures taken in the 1,412-sq-km protected area and adjoining places. This census was conducted in two phases, on April 24-25 and April 26-27.
Modi said the lion population had registered a growth of 13 per cent while, in the earlier census years, the rates of growth were only 5 per cent to 7 per cent.
Not only have the big cat numbers increased, certain other parameters have also shown positive trends that assure growth in numbers of the lions in future too. Nearly 40 per cent of the 411 big cats are in the ‘sub-adult’ category, equivalent of youth in humans.
“Just like India’s population, of which 40 per cent is youth,” quipped a quick-witted Modi.
Commenting upon the sex ratio of 162 females for 97 males among the adult lions in Gir, the Chief Minister remarked “human society can learn from the great pride of Gir lions”. Modi’s reference was to the skewed sex ratio in many parts of the country due to rampant female foeticide. The male-female sex ratio of 1:1.6 among the 259 adults and the 75 sub-adults soon to reach reproductive age are definite signals of further scope for population increase in the future, pointed out a Forest Department official.
Of the 411 Asiatic lions counted this time, 297 were inside the designated Gir National Park and adjoining areas while others were found in the neighbouring places of Girnar, Mitiyala and Paniya as well as in the coastal areas of Una, Kodinar, Sutrapada and Chhara. As many as 53 Asiatic lions have made their new habitat in far-off places like Savarkundla and Liliya in Amreli district and also in Bhavnagar.
Modi said lions had settled down peacefully far outside the sanctuary areas. It was a good sign of success of the conservation efforts, he added.
The Chief Minister attributed the rise in lion population to cooperation of the Maldharis, pastoral people who live in harmony with the big cats. The local Maldharis do not mind their cattle being occasionally killed by lions and are happy with a modest compensation, Modi said in praise of the pastoral people whose rehabilitation outside the national park had remained a contentious issue for long.
Another factor contributing to the rise in lion numbers was construction of parapet walls around village wells, which often proved to be death traps for cubs. “On an average, 10 cubs were lost every year after falling into wells, but erecting walls around these reduced such deaths to just one during the last year,” the Chief Minister added.
The incidents of adult males killing the cubs have also reduced due to the increase in female population, Modi said. In this regard, he quoted foresters who were witness to incidents of many lionesses teaming up to protect the young from the fury of angry lions.
Text of Prime Minister Narendra Modi Tri Commissioning ceremony of INS Agray INS Dunagiri and INS Sanshodhak in Kolkata
June 21, 2026
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INS Agray, INS Dunagiri, and INS Sanshodhak have been inducted into the Indian Navy: PM
Today, 21 June is also celebrated as World Hydrography Day, And it is a truly remarkable coincidence that on this very day we have commissioned India's most advanced hydrography ship, INS Sandhayak: PM
The country whose maritime strength is robust,its economic and strategic influence will be equally robust; And India understands this reality well, India is preparing itself for this: PM
The journey from INS Vikrant to today is not merely the journey of new warships; It is the journey of India's growing self-reliance, today, INS Agray, INS Dunagiri, and INS Sanshodhak are giving new momentum to that very journey: PM
India has begun to move forward with a new vision for the shipbuilding sector; Special steps have been taken to enhance domestic construction capacity: PM
Shipbuilding, ship repair, and MRO are being viewed as part of a major national mission: PM
India has always regarded the ocean as a medium of cooperation, but India also knows that strength is essential to safeguard peace; Security is necessary to protect prosperity and self-reliance is imperative for building the future: PM
Today, INS Agray, INS Dunagiri, and INS Sanshodhak have joined the Indian Navy as symbols of this very spirit: PM
Honorable Governor of West Bengal Shri R. N. Ravi ji, energetic Chief Minister Suvendu Adhikari ji, Chief of Naval Staff Krishna Swaminathan ji, distinguished ladies and gentlemen present here!
Today is special in many ways. The whole world is celebrating International Yoga Day. I am pleased that on this occasion I have had the opportunity to come to this great land of Bengal. This is the land that gave new direction to India’s ideas, that accelerated India’s renaissance, and that for centuries connected India to the world through the sea. Today, on this very soil, an important program linked to Atmanirbhar Bharat, Surakshit Bharat, and Viksit Bharat is taking place. Just a short while ago, INS Agray, INS Dunagiri, and INS Sanshodhak have been inducted into the Indian Navy. Incidentally, June 21 is also celebrated as “World Hydrography Day.” And it is a remarkable coincidence that on this very day, India’s most advanced hydrography ship, INS Sanshodhak, has been commissioned. I extend my warm congratulations and best wishes to the Indian Navy, to all the scientists, engineers, workers associated with these projects, and to my beloved countrymen.
Friends,
The world bears witness that no nation can become a great power without maritime capability. Development is linked to the seas, security is linked to the seas, prosperity is linked to the seas. Today, most of the world’s trade flows through maritime routes. The vast networks of data that connect the world pass beneath the oceans. In the coming times, critical minerals, deep-sea resources, and new sources of energy will also be connected to the seas. Therefore, the stronger a nation’s maritime strength, the stronger its economic and strategic influence. India understands this reality well. India is preparing itself for it. And today is proof of what our capability is, what our skill is.
Friends,
A few years ago, when we dedicated INS Vikrant to the nation, India announced a new chapter of its maritime strength. It was a declaration of our capability before the world. The journey from INS Vikrant to today is not just about new warships. It is also the journey of India’s growing self-reliance. Today, INS Agray, INS Dunagiri, and INS Sanshodhak are giving new momentum to that journey. These three ships are symbols of three important resolves of India. They have been built in India. Their designs were prepared in India. Their construction involved the talent of Indian industries, the skill of Indian engineers, and the hard work of Indian workers. And this is the greatest strength of New India.
Friends,
Today, India does not want to remain merely a buyer in the defense sector. Our military strength cannot be reduced to a marketplace for the world. The identity of our strength lies not in being a market, but in our self-reliance. India wants to be a manufacturer. And the day we become manufacturers, we will also become decisive. We are moving rapidly in this direction. In recent years, more than 40 Made in India warships and submarines have been inducted into the Navy. This means that almost every few weeks, the Indian Navy has gained new strength. Even now, 45 major naval platforms are under construction. This is not just a number. It is proof of India’s industrial capability. It is a signal of India’s future.
Friends,
In the coming years, India’s maritime sector has the capacity to generate millions of new jobs. That is why we do not see the maritime sector as an isolated sector. We see it as the employment engine of a developed India. A modern ship requires hundreds of tons of steel, electronics, machinery, and thousands of components. Behind all this, thousands of companies work - which means thousands of youth get employment. In the construction of the three ships commissioned today, more than 200 MSMEs have contributed. We can imagine the vast number of jobs created in these 200 MSMEs, in these small industries.
Friends,
The time has come for India to enter the next phase of maritime power. Therefore, India has begun to move forward with a new vision for the shipbuilding sector. In recent years, numerous policy reforms have been undertaken. Special measures have been taken to enhance domestic manufacturing capacity. Shipbuilding, ship repair, ship recycling, and MRO are now being seen as part of a major national mission.
Friends,
The incentive package of ₹70,000 crore announced for the shipping sector is not merely an economic decision. It is an investment in India’s maritime future. It is an investment in India’s industrial expansion.
Friends,
Today, India is strengthening its entire maritime ecosystem. That is why India is modernizing its ports, creating new capacity, building new connectivity, expanding river waterways, and developing a multi-modal logistics network. Campaigns like Sagarmala are part of this comprehensive vision. This is reducing the cost of trade, giving new momentum to industries, and creating new opportunities in coastal regions.
Friends,
There was a time when India was known as one of the world’s largest defense importers. This dependence posed both strategic and security challenges. After the government was formed in 2014, we resolved to change this situation. Major policy reforms were carried out, and self-reliance in the defense sector was prioritized. As a result, today new possibilities have emerged in defense design, manufacturing, and exports. Until 2014, the country’s total defense production was around ₹40,000 crore. Today, it has increased to nearly ₹1,80,000 crore.
And friends,
On one hand, defense production in the country has grown rapidly, and on the other hand, our defense exports have increased at an unprecedented pace. Until 2014, India exported defense products worth about ₹700 crore. Today, this figure has risen to nearly ₹40,000 crore. Defense equipment made in India is now reaching more than 80 countries around the world.
Friends,
In the journey of self-reliance, much remains to be done. In my view, this is only the beginning. But the progress achieved in 12 years shows that when policies are clear, when direction is right, and when we work together, such a massive transformation can take place in the country.
Friends,
When we talk about maritime heritage, the name of Bengal naturally comes to mind. This land has also been significant in India’s maritime connections. The currents of the Hooghly have witnessed history being reshaped, new chapters of trade being written, and new journeys of development unfolding. And see the coincidence - this port is named after Bengal’s son, the country’s first Industry Minister, Dr. Syama Prasad Mukherjee.
Friends,
In the new maritime era that India is moving towards, the role of West Bengal will be very important. Here, there is port capacity, industrial capacity, talent, skill, and the ability to take the maritime economy to new heights. I am confident that in the coming years, West Bengal will become a vital center for India’s Blue Economy, maritime manufacturing, logistics, and coastal development.
Friends,
India has always regarded the sea as a medium of cooperation. But India also knows that strength is equally necessary to safeguard peace. Security is essential to protect prosperity. And self-reliance is indispensable for building the future. Today, INS Agray, INS Dunagiri, and INS Sanshodhak have joined the Indian Navy as symbols of this very spirit. They represent the India that is recognizing its strength in the 21st century, trusting its own capabilities, and moving forward before the world with new confidence, with speed, energy, and determination.
Friends,
On this auspicious occasion, I extend my best wishes to all my companions in the Navy, to all my fellow citizens. Once again, I heartily congratulate the Indian Navy, all scientists, engineers, workers, and the people of the nation. Thank you.
