Indian Navy Chief Admiral Dinesh K Tripathi has reinforced the service’s strategic direction, highlighting its central role in safeguarding India’s maritime interests while driving forward the agenda of self-reliance.

Speaking virtually at the 81st Staff Course at the Defence Services Staff College in Wellington, he underscored the Navy’s transformation into a combat-ready, credible, and future-focused force aligned with the vision of Atmanirbhar Bharat.

Admiral Tripathi drew attention to India’s deep maritime heritage and the evolving nature of naval warfare, where hybrid threats and unconventional challenges are increasingly shaping the security environment. He stressed that the Navy is prepared to meet both traditional and emerging threats, ensuring maritime stability and national security in a complex global context.

Central to his address was the emphasis on indigenous shipbuilding and technological autonomy. The Navy’s roadmap envisages the induction of more than 155 indigenous warships by 2030, expanding to over 200 by 2035. This ambitious plan reflects the accelerated pace of modernisation, with officials noting that new platforms have been commissioned at an average rate of one vessel every 40 days.

Examples of this indigenisation drive include the commissioning of INS Vikrant, INS Arnala, INS Vindhyagiri, and INS Imphal. More than 50 naval platforms are currently under construction across major Indian shipyards, including Mazagon Dock Shipbuilders Limited, Garden Reach Shipbuilders and Engineers, Goa Shipyard Limited, and Cochin Shipyard Limited. These efforts underline the Navy’s determination to strengthen domestic defence manufacturing and reduce reliance on imports.

The Navy has also increased indigenous content in existing platforms, with upgrades to INS Vikramaditya serving as a notable example of aligning legacy systems with the broader self-reliance objective. This approach ensures that both new and existing assets contribute to the overarching goal of technological independence.

Admiral Tripathi’s remarks reaffirmed the Navy’s commitment to evolving into a technologically advanced force, capable of addressing conventional and unconventional challenges alike. His vision places the Indian Navy at the forefront of national defence, maritime security, and regional stability, while simultaneously driving India’s defence industrial base towards greater self-sufficiency.

IANS