29-Oct-2022: Naval Commanders' Conference, 2022

The second edition of Naval Commanders' Conference of 2022 is scheduled from 31 Oct to 03 Nov 22 at New Delhi. The conference serves as a platform for Naval Commanders to discuss important maritime matters at the military-strategic level through an institutionalised forum. Due to the dynamic and fast-paced developments in security imperatives in the Indian Ocean Region (IOR) as well as in other parts of the world, the Conference has its own significance and relevance.

Amongst many issues being discussed, the Chief of the Naval Staff, along with other Naval Commanders will review major Operational, Materiel, Logistics, Human Resource Development, Training and Administrative activities undertaken by the Indian Navy in the last few months and further deliberate upon future plans for important activities and initiatives. The conference would also dwell upon the dynamics of the geostrategic situation of the region and the Navy’s readiness to deal with the same.

The Navy has focused on being a Combat Ready, Credible and Cohesive force with a future-ready outlook and continues to assiduously execute its mandate. The Indian Navy has witnessed significant growth in its operational tasking over the years in consonance with India’s rising maritime interests. Indian Navy’s standing as the ‘Preferred Security Partner’ has also grown concomitantly in recent times. Indian Navy is poised to counter all maritime security challenges emerging due to uncertain geo-strategic situations in IOR and beyond.

During the Conference, the Hon’ble Raksha Mantri Shri Rajnath Singh will address and interact with the Naval Commanders on matters pertaining to national security. The Chief of Defence Staff and the Chiefs of the Indian Army and the Indian Air Force would also interact with the Naval Commanders to address the convergence of the three Services vis-à-vis the common operational environment, and avenues of augmenting Tri-Service synergy and readiness towards the defence of the nation and India’s national interests.

26-Oct-2017: Defence minister addresses Naval Commanders’ Conference

The Defence minister addressed the Naval Leadership during the ongoing Naval Commanders’ Conference (24-27 Oct 17) being held at New Delhi. This is the second edition of this year’s bi-annual Naval Commanders’ Conference.

At the very outset, the Hon’ble Raksha Mantri complimented all personnel of the Indian Navy for securing the maritime interests of the nation. Taking note of the recent developments in our maritime neighbourhood, she emphasised the need for the Indian Navy to be strong at sea, and be ever ready and vigilant to counter any challenges in the maritime domain.

The Hon’ble Raksha Mantri acknowledged the high operational tempo maintained by the Navy in the last one year through regular deployment of ships, submarines and aircraft from the South China Sea and Sea of Japan in the East to the Persian Gulf and the Atlantic Ocean in the West and the shores of Australia in the South including the focused efforts to deter piracy attempts off the Gulf of Aden. Participation in a number of bilateral exercises and the unprecedented success of the Exercise MALABAR with the US and the Japanese Navy earlier this year were lauded by the Raksha Mantri.

Recognising the lead taken by Indian Navy in indigenisation and self-reliance, the Hon’ble Raksha Mantri stated that it is the collective responsibility of Service Headquarters, the Ministry and the Industry to promote a more vibrant ecosystem percolating down to the MSMEs, to encourage development of equipment and systems in India and to reduce import dependence in the Defence sector.

She took note of the critical capability shortfalls that the Navy is facing in ship-borne multi-role helicopters, conventional submarines and mine counter measure vessels, which need urgent redressal to maintain the combat edge of the Navy. The Hon’ble Raksha Mantri assured the Commanders’ that that these issues were being given due impetus and efforts were in hand to mitigate these shortcomings at the earliest.

The Hon’ble Raksha Mantri also commended the efforts of the Navy to constructively engage with the Indian Ocean Region (IOR) littorals to build their capacities and enhance their capabilities. She also mentioned the initiatives taken by the Indian Navy to impart practical training for naval personnel from IOR littoral nations on a regular basis. Institutionalizing a full-fledged regional-forum to help find collective solutions to matters maritime in the IOR and facilitate projection of India’s and Indian Navy’s strategic and operational vision to a wider regional and global audience through the ‘Goa Maritime Conclave’ to be held early next month was also praised by the Hon’ble Minister. She further stated that MILAN 2018 at Port Blair early next year would be an excellent forum to get the littoral Navies on a common platform to discuss regional maritime issues and security challenges.

Concluding her address the Hon’ble Raksha Mantri stated that maritime interests of a nation have a vital relationship with its economic growth and these shall be protected at all costs by ensuring a strong and credible Indian Navy.

The four-day long Naval Commanders’ Conference is in its third day of deliberations wherein the top-level leadership of Navy is reviewing major operational, training and administrative activities undertaken in the last six months. The conference also reviewed IN’s readiness to deploy over the entire range of missions in the maritime domain (the new Mission-based Deployment Concept).

22-Oct-2017: Bi-Annual Naval Commanders’ Conference to be held at New Delhi from - 24-27 oct 17

 A four day Naval Commanders’ Conference is scheduled at New Delhi from 24-27 Oct 17. The Conference serves as a platform for institutionalized interaction between the Naval Commanders and senior government officials, as also, with the Chiefs of Indian Army and Indian Air Force.  

The Hon’ble RM will address and interact with the Commanders’ during the bi-annual conference. The Chief of the Naval Staff, with the Commanders’-in-Chief, will review major Operational, Materiel, Human Resource, Training and Administrative activities undertaken in the last six months and deliberate the way-ahead on important activities and initiatives. An interaction is also planned with Shri Amitabh Kant, CEO, Niti Aayog to provide the Commanders’ a perspective on broader national interests.  

The Navy’s combat readiness would be reviewed with focus on operational effectiveness of combat platforms, logistics and development of shore support infrastructure for sustaining distant operations. Efforts towards ‘indigenisation and standardisation’ so as to make the Navy self-reliant and modernise its warfare capability by means of unmanned systems would also be examined. Aspects complementary to combat effectiveness, such as Training, Human Resource Management, Fleet Maintenance and pan-Navy measures for enhancing safety will be reviewed. With reference to safety, IN Safety Organisation including rescue support during submarine accidents in the IOR will be discussed. The Commanders’ will also review the security of establishments in the backdrop of terrorist threats and the prevailing security scenario.  

The Commanders will also discuss plans for ‘enhancing and sustaining IN’s operational footprint in the IOR’ in keeping with the Hon’ble Prime Minister’s vision of ‘Security and Growth for All in the Region’ (SAGAR). In this regard, initiatives to further maritime cooperation with other navies in the IOR as also the IN’s ability to proactively respond to maritime security challenges, including natural calamities, in the IOR will be reviewed.