The world witnessed the Indian Navy's strength during Operation Sindoor as its deterrent posture forced Pakistan to remain in the harbour or near its coast, Defence Minister Rajnath Singh said on Thursday, hailing the force's combat readiness.
In an address to the top naval commanders, Singh said Operation Sindoor was a symbol of India's capability and a message to the world that it is always ready to respond to every challenge.
The defence minister commended the force for creating a "deterrent posture" during the operation that he said forced Pakistan to remain in the harbour or near its coast.
Indian Navy's carrier battle group, submarines and aviation assets were deployed in the northern Arabian sea in the aftermath of the Pahalgam terror attack.
The naval forces remained forward deployed with full readiness to strike select targets at sea, and on land, including Karachi during Operation Sindoor.
The defence minister described the Indian Navy's presence in the Indian Ocean Region (IOR) as a matter of "comfort for the friendly nations" and "discomfort for those who seek to destabilise the region".
"The IOR has become the centre of contemporary geopolitics. It is no longer passive; it has become an area of competition and cooperation," he said at the Naval Commanders' Conference.
The conference serves as a platform for close interaction with national leadership and bureaucrats, and fine-tunes the Navy's outlook towards mitigating multi-dimensional challenges.
In his remarks on the concluding day of the two-day conference, Singh said the Indian Navy, through its multi-dimensional capabilities, has played a leadership role in the region.
"In the last six months, our ships, submarines and naval aircraft have been deployed at an unprecedented scale. In addition, our Navy has provided safe passage to approximately 335 merchant vessels, equalling approximately 1.2 million metric tons of cargo and a trade value of USD 5.6 billion," he said.
This, he said, is proof that India has now become a trusted and capable partner in the global maritime economy.
The defence minister also underlined the need to advance naval strategy and thinking in sync with the rapidly-evolving world.
"We must work together in three areas: capability, people, and partnerships. Capability means technology and strength; people mean sailors and their families; and partnerships mean industries, academia and international cooperation," he said.
"When these three come together, our Navy will emerge as an even more reliable and powerful force," he said.
Singh lauded the Indian Navy for enhancing its capabilities through indigenous equipment and emerging as the flag bearer of Aatmanirbhar Bharat (self-reliant India).
"In the last 10 years, nearly 67 per cent of the Navy's capital acquisition contracts have been with Indian industries. This proves that we are no longer dependent solely on imports," he said.
In his address to the commanders on Wednesday, Navy Chief Admiral Dinesh K Tripathi commended the "collective dedication and professionalism" of "Team Navy" in ensuring operational excellence as displayed during Operation Sindoor, which, he said, stands as a "source of pride" for the nation.
Delving into the prevailing geostrategic environment, he underscored the Navy's role in safeguarding national maritime interests through enhanced "preparedness, adaptability, and proactive engagement" in the region.
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