Raksha Mantri Shri Rajnath Singh addressed\u00a0the second edition of Naval Commanders\u2019 Conference \u201824 in New Delhi on September 19, 2024. He\u00a0commended the Indian Navy for playing a crucial role in promoting peace and prosperity in the Indian Ocean, terming the region\u00a0as valuable & sensitive in view of the economic, geopolitical, trade and security aspects.<\/p>\n
Pointing out that\u00a0India was once a landlocked country with sea shores, but now it can be seen as an island country with land borders, the Raksha Mantri\u00a0lauded the Indian Navy\u2019s readiness towards safeguarding the maritime interests of the country, which has resulted in establishing its credibility as the first responder in the region.<\/p>\n
\u201cA 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,\u201d Shri Rajnath Singh said.<\/p>\n
The Raksha Mantri asserted that the Indian Navy\u2019s 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\u2019s volatile global scenario.\u00a0He emphasised on the need of a strong naval capability to protect the economic, trade, transport and overall national interests.<\/p>\n
Shri Rajnath Singh reiterated Prime Minister Shri 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.<\/p>\n
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\u2019s indigenisation efforts, he exhorted the Commanders to explore ways to further strengthen the resolve of achieving \u2018Aatmanirbharta\u2019. He exuded confidence that the vision to transform the Navy from a \u2018Buyer\u2019 into a \u2018Builder\u2019 will be helpful in making it fully self-reliant by 2047.<\/p>\n
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.<\/p>\n
On the occasion,\u00a0Shri Rajnath Singh also attended a Tech Demo, organised as part of the event. Various agencies, including Navy’s premier R&D organisation\u00a0Weapons & Electronics Systems Engineering Establishment\u00a0showcased indigenous solutions, including Autonomous Systems, domain awareness, software defined radios and other niche tech initiatives.\u00a0Chief 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.<\/p>\n
The conference is the apex-level biannual event facilitating deliberations on significant strategic, operational and administrative issues among the\u00a0Naval 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.<\/p>\n
The conference, as a pivotal platform, upholds the Navy\u2019s commitment to safeguard India\u2019s maritime interests and the Navy\u2019s status as a \u2018combat ready, credible, cohesive and future ready force\u2019.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
Raksha Mantri Shri Rajnath Singh addressed\u00a0the second edition of Naval Commanders\u2019 Conference \u201824 in New Delhi on September 19, 2024. He\u00a0commended the Indian Navy for playing a crucial role in promoting peace and prosperity in the Indian Ocean, terming the region\u00a0as valuable & sensitive in view of the economic, geopolitical, trade and security aspects. Pointing …<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[136],"tags":[14762,14761,14763],"class_list":["post-18451","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","","category-national","tag-indian-navys-influence","tag-maritime-security-in-indian-ocean","tag-regional-security-partnerships"],"yoast_head":"\n