Defence Minister Rajnath Singh highlighted the significance of the Indian Ocean, terming the region as valuable and sensitive in view of the economic, geopolitical, trade, and security aspects, and added that India is now seen as a preferred security partner in this entire region.
Addressing the second edition of Naval Commanders’ Conference' in New Delhi, the defence minister pointed out that India was once a landlocked country with sea shores, but now it can be seen as an island country with land borders.
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“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,” Singh said.
Hailing the Indian Navy for playing a crucial role in promoting peace and prosperity in the Indian Ocean, Singh said, “Whenever need be, we will ensure security in the region.”
Asserting that the Indian Navy’s growing strength in the Indo-Pacific region should not be taken for granted, he urged the Commanders to be prepared for every situation in today’s volatile global scenario.
Modernising Navy
Singh reiterated Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi-led government's plans to make Navy more efficient and lethal by inducting state-of-the-art ships, and submarines with a focus on 'make in India'.
The defence minister noted that 64 ships and submarines are currently under construction at various shipyards in India, and orders have been placed for 24 additional platforms.
He said 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.
The defence minister expressed confidence in the vision to transform the Navy from a ‘Buyer’ into a ‘Builder’ to make it fully self-reliant by 2047.
Singh also highlighted the importance of jointness and optimum utilisation of resources and said while the Indian Navy and Indian Coast Guard have their own strengths, mandates and ways of working, there is a need for more coordination between the two forces to strengthen maritime security.