India is now seen as a preferred security partner in Indian Ocean Region: Rajnath Singh

Raksha Mantri Rajnath Singh addressed the second edition of Naval Commanders’ Conference ‘24 in New Delhi on September 19, 2024. He commended the Indian Navy for playing a crucial role in promoting peace and prosperity in the Indian Ocean, terming the region as valuable & sensitive in view of the economic, geopolitical, trade and security aspects.

Pointing out that India was once a landlocked country with sea shores, but now it can be seen as an island country with land borders, the Raksha Mantri lauded the Indian Navy’s readiness towards safeguarding the maritime interests of the country, which has resulted in establishing its credibility as the first responder in the region.

“A large part of the world’s trade passes through the region, which makes it valuable. At the same time, incidents like piracy, hijacking, drone attacks, missile attacks and disruption of sea cable connections in the seas make it extremely sensitive. Our Navy has made a significant contribution in protecting the economic interests of all stakeholder nations of Indo-Pacific and in smooth movement of goods in the Indian Ocean region. Its anti-piracy operations are garnering appreciation not only in India but also globally. India is now seen as a preferred security partner in this entire region. Whenever need be, we will ensure security in the region,” Rajnath Singh said.

The Raksha Mantri asserted that the Indian Navy’s growing strength in the Indo-Pacific region should not be taken for granted and called upon the Commanders to continue introspection from time to time, and be prepared for every situation in today’s volatile global scenario. He emphasised on the need of a strong naval capability to protect the economic, trade, transport and overall national interests.

Rajnath Singh reiterated Prime Minister Narendra Modi-led Government’s endeavour to make the Indian Navy more potent by inducting state-of-the-art ships, submarines etc. for its capability development, with focus on being Aatmanirbhar. He highlighted that 64 ships and submarines are currently under construction in Indian shipyards, and orders have been placed for 24 additional platforms.

The Raksha Mantri added that, in the last five years, more than two-third of the Navy’s modernisation budget has been spent on indigenous procurement, resulting in accelerated development of the domestic defence ecosystem. While Shri Rajnath Singh praised the Navy’s indigenisation efforts, he exhorted the Commanders to explore ways to further strengthen the resolve of achieving ‘Aatmanirbharta’. He exuded confidence that the vision to transform the Navy from a ‘Buyer’ into a ‘Builder’ will be helpful in making it fully self-reliant by 2047.

The Raksha Mantri also spoke on the significance of jointness and optimum utilisation of resources. He stated that while Indian Navy and Indian Coast Guard have their own strengths, mandates & ways of working, there is need for more coordination to strengthen the maritime security of the country.

On the occasion, Rajnath Singh also attended a Tech Demo, organised as part of the event. Various agencies, including Navy’s premier R&D organisation Weapons & Electronics Systems Engineering Establishment showcased indigenous solutions, including Autonomous Systems, domain awareness, software defined radios and other niche tech initiatives. Chief of Defence Staff General Anil Chauhan, Chief of the Naval Staff Admiral Dinesh K Tripathi, Defence Secretary Shri Giridhar Aramane and other senior civil & military officials were present on the occasion.

The conference is the apex-level biannual event facilitating deliberations on significant strategic, operational and administrative issues among the Naval Commanders. Held against the backdrop of evolving geopolitical and geostrategic dynamics, regional challenges and complexity in maritime security situation in West Asia, the conference plays a crucial role in shaping future course of the Indian Navy.

The conference, as a pivotal platform, upholds the Navy’s commitment to safeguard India’s maritime interests and the Navy’s status as a ‘combat ready, credible, cohesive and future ready force’.