Prime Minister Modi with Navy Chief Dinesh Tripathi on INS VIKRANT on Diwali Day

The Indian Navy’s second biannual Naval Commanders’ Conference for 2025 commenced in New Delhi on October 22, spanning three days to assess strategic, operational, and technological priorities amid a dynamic security environment.

Senior naval leadership, including Chief of the Naval Staff Admiral R. Hari Kumar and the Commander-in-Chiefs of various commands, convened to evaluate the evolving security landscape in the Indian Ocean Region, India’s primary maritime area of responsibility.

The conference follows the conclusion of ‘Operation Sindoor’, during which the Navy played a pivotal role by deploying its Carrier Battle Group with MiG-29K fighter jets and airborne early warning assets to establish maritime dominance and deter hostile aerial movements along the Makran coast.​

Heightened focus was placed on operational readiness across both the Western and Eastern seaboards, alongside ongoing training initiatives and logistical alignment for diverse mission profiles. The agenda included a comprehensive review of the Navy’s future capability development roadmap, with emphasis on digital transformation and the integration of disruptive technologies such as artificial intelligence, big data, and machine learning into operational frameworks.

These technologies are being assessed for their potential to enhance combat solutions and ensure sustained, seamless operations in a secure environment, reflecting the Navy’s commitment to modernisation.​

Interoperability and joint operational planning with the Indian Army, Air Force, and Coast Guard were central themes, aimed at optimising resource utilisation and strengthening tri-service synergy.

Chief of Defence Staff General Anil Chauhan and Air Chief Marshal Amar Preet Singh engaged with naval leadership to reinforce joint planning mechanisms, while Defence Minister Rajnath Singh and Cabinet Secretary Rajiv Gauba provided strategic perspectives on national security and the government’s vision for Viksit Bharat 2047.

The conference also served as a platform to align naval objectives with broader national strategies, including the MAHASAGAR vision, which promotes mutual security, holistic advancement, and India’s role as a preferred security partner in the Indo-Pacific.​

Indigenisation and innovation under the ‘Make in India’ initiative were key discussion points, with the Navy aiming to increase indigenous content across hull, propulsion, and weapon systems. As of October 2024, 90% of the ‘Float’ (hull), 60% of the ‘Move’ (propulsion), and 50% of the ‘Fight’ (weapons and sensors) components in naval platforms have been indigenised, with further progress expected under the Roll-on Plan for 2023–26.

The Navy has also committed to constructing all future warships domestically, following the commissioning of INS Tamal in July 2025 as the last foreign-origin vessel.​

The timing of the conference coincided with Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s Diwali visit aboard INS Vikrant, India’s first indigenously built aircraft carrier, underscoring the symbolic and strategic importance of naval power.

The Prime Minister hailed INS Vikrant as a towering symbol of Aatmanirbhar Bharat and lauded the coordinated efforts of the armed forces during Operation Sindoor, which demonstrated India’s precision strike capabilities and deterrence posture. The visit reinforced national attention on maritime security and the Navy’s role in safeguarding India’s interests in an increasingly contested regional environment.​

Based On India Today Report