Defence Minister Rajnath Singh today asked the Indian Navy Commanders to ‘not take for granted’ the Navy’s growing prowess in the Indo-Pacific but continue to introspect and prepare for every situation.
The minister was addressing the Naval commanders’ conference in New Delhi, where he said: “The Indian Navy’s growing strength in the Indo-Pacific region should not be taken for granted.”
The Minister called upon the Commanders to “continue introspection from time to time, and be prepared for every situation in today’s volatile global scenario”. He stressed that strong naval capability as essential to protect the economic, trade, transport and overall national interests.
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He 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.
“A large volume 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,” he said. He added 64 ships and submarines were under-construction in Indian shipyards.
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The conference, is a pivotal platform that 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”.
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