Rajnath Singh, India's Defence Minister, emphasizes the country's growing role in the Indian Ocean Region and the global stage. He highlights the modernization of the Navy and its strategic importance.
On September 29, 2026, Raksha Mantri Shri Rajnath Singh addressed the second edition of the Indian Navy's biannual Commanders' Conference at Nausena Bhawan, New Delhi. In his speech, he underlined India's growing strategic position and responsibility in the Indian Ocean Region. The complexity of the maritime domain due to congestion, deception, and gray-zone activities necessitates a higher level of monitoring and response mechanisms, as stated by Mr. Singh.
India's blue-water force capabilities are demonstrated by the presence of Indian warships in the South China Sea, Mediterranean, and Atlantic Ocean. The role of the Indian Navy is crucial for ensuring strategic depth and regional power projection, according to the Defence Minister.
Emphasizing the government’s commitment to the modernization of the Navy under the leadership of Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi, Mr. Rajnath stated that the Indian Navy serves as a strategic anchor in the vision of 'Viksit Bharat 2047'. Beyond merely guarding maritime boundaries, our Navy strengthens economic protection, regional stability, and power projection. He urged the Indian Navy to maintain its unrelenting momentum while transforming itself into a future-ready, combat-ready, and globally respected force.
The Defence Minister lauded the India Navy’s role in the crisis in West Asia, particularly the safe transit of Indian-flagged merchant vessels through the Strait of Hormuz under ‘Operation Urja Suraksha’. Given that India imports approximately 85–90 per cent of its crude oil and around 50 per cent of its natural gas through maritime routes, the security of sea lanes is directly connected with the country’s economy, energy supplies, and defence preparedness.
Mr. Rajnath Singh called for a significant upgrade of India’s maritime surveillance architecture, recognizing the importance of existing systems. He added that the growing volume and complexity of maritime traffic require enhanced analytical capabilities.
In 2026, Mr. Rajnath described this as a historic year for the Indian Navy, with plans for the induction or commissioning of 18 warships, which would constitute the largest single-year force accretion in the Navy’s history. The developments reflected the growing maturity of India’s domestic naval shipbuilding ecosystem, while emphasizing that further capability enhancement remains necessary.
Commending the Navy’s efforts towards women’s empowerment, recruitment, and innovation under the ‘All Ranks, All Roles’ approach, Mr. Rajnath highlighted the deployment of women officers on frontline warships and aircraft. He also praised the participation of women in naval navigational expeditions, including the Navika Sagar Parikrama voyage.
Mr. Rajnath Singh congratulated the Indian Navy on assuming command of Combined Task Force-154 under the Combined Maritime Forces, describing it as an important contribution to regional cooperative security. He also highlighted Operation Southern Readiness, conducted in Kochi during India’s command tenure of CTF-154, which involved 276 personnel from 27 countries, 76 facilitators and subject-matter experts, and four international organizations.
Source:
Press Information Bureau
