Rajnath Singh tells Naval Commanders not to be complacent on growing strength in Indo-Pacific region

Defence Minister Rajnath Singh on Thursday cautioned Naval commanders not to take for granted its growing strength in the Indo-Pacific region and urged them to “continue introspection” and be ready to handle volatile global scenario.

A strong naval capability is needed to protect the economic, trade, transport and overall national interest, Singh said in his address at the second edition of Naval Commanders’ Conference 2024.

The Defence Minister commended the Indian Navy for playing a crucial role in promoting peace and prosperity in the Indian Ocean, terming the region as valuable and 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 Minister lauded the 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,” Singh said.

He, however, 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.

Singh 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 and ways of working, there is need for more coordination to strengthen the maritime security of the country.

The Minister reiterated Prime Minister Narendra Modi-led government’s endeavour to make the Navy more potent by inducting state-of-the-art ships, submarines etc, for its capability development, with focus on being Aatmanirbhar.

According to him, 64 ships and submarines are currently under construction in Indian shipyards, and orders have been placed for 24 additional platforms.

Singh 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 the Minister 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.