NEW DELHI: Top Navy commanders on Monday kicked off a comprehensive review of India’s maritime security and operational preparedness, especially in the Indian Ocean Region (IOR) where there is expanding China-Pakistan collusion, while also focusing on measures to enhance synergy with the Army and IAF.
The four-day naval commanders’ conference will dwell upon “the dynamics of the geostrategic situation” in IOR and the larger Indo-Pacific, and the Navy’s readiness to deal with the same”, among other matters.
The conference comes in the backdrop of Navy chief Admiral R Hari Kumar’s recent remark that “China remains a formidable challenge and has increased its presence, not only along our land borders, but also in the maritime domain by leveraging anti-piracy operations to normalise its naval presence” in the IOR.
The Navy is focused on being “a combat ready, credible and cohesive force with a future-ready outlook” and has witnessed significant growth in its operational tasking over the years. “The conference will focus on addressing contemporary security paradigms while seeking ways to further enhance the Navy’s combat capability and make operations more effective and synergistic with other two Services,” naval spokesperson Commander Vivek Madhwal said. A detailed roadmap to enhance indigenisation through ‘Make in India’ with the aim of achieving ‘AatmaNirbharta’ by 2047 will also be undertaken by commanders,” he added.
