Defence Minister Rajnath Singh has underlined the expanding global presence of the Indian Navy, stating that deployments stretching from the South China Sea to the Mediterranean and the Atlantic Ocean reflect India's growing blue-water maritime capability and ability to project power far beyond its immediate region, IANS reported.

Speaking at the second edition of the Indian Navy’s biannual Commanders' Conference 2026 at Nausena Bhawan in New Delhi, he said the Navy plays a vital role in providing strategic depth and strengthening India’s influence across key maritime theatres.

The Defence Minister called for a major enhancement of India’s maritime surveillance and monitoring architecture. While acknowledging the effectiveness of existing systems, he stressed that increasing maritime traffic, evolving threats and the growing complexity of the operational environment require more advanced analytical and response capabilities.

He noted that congestion at sea, deceptive practices and grey-zone activities have significantly complicated the maritime security landscape, making stronger monitoring mechanisms a strategic necessity.

Reaffirming the government's commitment to naval modernisation under Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s leadership, Rajnath Singh described the Indian Navy as a crucial pillar of the ‘Viksit Bharat 2047’ vision.

He said the Navy’s contribution extends well beyond safeguarding territorial waters, playing an increasingly important role in economic security, regional stability, deterrence and power projection.

Urging sustained momentum in capability development, he called on the service to continue transforming itself into a future-ready, combat-ready and internationally respected force.

Highlighting India’s growing maritime stature, he said the country has emerged as a First Responder and Preferred Security Partner in the Indian Ocean Region, with the international community recognising both India’s expanding strategic influence and its increasing responsibility in maintaining regional stability.

Rajnath Singh also praised the Navy’s performance during the West Asia crisis. He described the safe escort and transit of Indian-flagged merchant vessels, particularly LPG carriers, through the Strait of Hormuz under Operation Urja Suraksha as a notable achievement.

The operation has assumed particular importance given India’s dependence on maritime trade routes. Around 85-90 per cent of the country’s crude oil imports and nearly 50 per cent of its natural gas supplies reach India by sea, making secure sea lanes critical to economic growth, energy security and military preparedness.

Emphasising self-reliance, the Defence Minister said India’s warship-building ecosystem has matured to the point of meeting global standards. He pointed out that recently commissioned naval platforms contain more than 75 per cent indigenous content.

He added that India should not only fulfil domestic naval requirements but also emerge as an exporter of advanced warships to friendly nations, strengthening both strategic partnerships and the domestic shipbuilding industry.

The remarks come as the Navy continues to pursue ambitious force-expansion plans, with multiple indigenous warships and support vessels scheduled for induction and a long-term objective of building a fleet of more than 200 ships over the next decade.

Rajnath Singh also interacted with the Chief of Defence Staff and the Chief of the Army Staff during the conference, reflecting ongoing efforts to deepen tri-services integration and operational synergy.

The three-day conference, running from 29 September to 1 October, has brought together the Navy’s top leadership to assess operational readiness, maritime security challenges, technological induction and future capability development priorities.

Agencies