Supply chain diversification will strengthen maritime security: Defence Minister Rajnath Singh

According to PIB, Defence Minister Shri Rajnath Singh has called for making mutual interdependence among regional partners more secure and resilient through supply chain diversification, reliable maritime infrastructure, increased maritime awareness, and enhanced cooperation amidst rising tensions in the global maritime security environment. He emphasized that it is essential to cultivate the capacity to anticipate, withstand, and recover from disruptions.

The Defence Minister made these remarks at the Indo-Pacific Regional Dialogue (IPRD) held in New Delhi on 4 November, 2026. This event is an annual high-level international strategic conference organised by the Indian Navy. In his address, he described the oceans not as barriers between nations and cultures, but as bridges. He stated that oceans play a vital role in sustaining livelihoods and in the exchange of goods, knowledge, and culture.

The Defence Minister expressed concern that despite the international community being aware of this interdependence, certain countries and factors are attempting to misuse the importance of the oceans for their narrow unilateral gains. He added, "The global maritime security environment is strained by deliberate trade disruptions. We are seeing open challenges to freedom of navigation and the weaponisation of narrow maritime passages. This growing instability in the maritime domain casts a long shadow over the broader international order."

Shri Rajnath Singh argued that the answer to the vulnerabilities of an interconnected world lies in cultivating resilience. He clarified that globalization cannot be abandoned in response to every disruption, nor should the maritime domains that have supported human progress be closed off. He said the primary objective should be to make interdependence more secure.

Highlighting the changing nature of maritime security, the Defence Minister stated that challenges can arise not only from traditional military activities but also from non-traditional threats such as piracy, smuggling, illegal fishing, cyber attacks, and natural disasters. He emphasised that maritime security must evolve alongside the changing maritime domain.

Speaking on the use of technology, he said that Artificial Intelligence is changing the way data is processed, while autonomous systems are expanding the possibilities of surveillance and operations. New sensors are improving the ability to monitor oceans, and advancements in materials, biotechnology, and data analytics are opening new avenues for research and application. However, he warned that technology itself is not the answer, but the critical question is how we use technology to solve real-world challenges.

Shri Rajnath Singh further stated that technology should not become a second source of inequality between nations, as the Indo-Pacific involves countries with diverse technological and economic capacities. Some countries possess advanced research infrastructure, while others are still developing institutional and human resources. He said that if the benefits of technological progress are limited only to a few countries, the region will not achieve the necessary collective resilience.

He emphasised increasing cooperation in research, education, innovation, and capacity building. He said that strong scientific capability in one country can contribute to the security and prosperity of the entire region, which is particularly important for small maritime nations and developing countries. He added that the most useful technology is not necessarily the most expensive or sophisticated, but the one that solves a real problem.

As India moves towards becoming a 'Viksit Bharat' by 2047, the maritime sector will play a decisive role in the country's national transformation. The Defence Minister noted the investments in port infrastructure and connectivity by the government under the leadership of Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi, port-led development under 'Sagarmala', efforts to promote coastal economic activities, and the strengthening of the maritime industrial base. He identified the 'Maritime Amrit Kaal Vision 2047' as the national blueprint for this transformation, which emphasises technology, innovation, research, education, and skills.

Regarding environmental responsibility, he said that economic development and environmental responsibility must go hand in hand, as oceans cannot be treated as inexhaustible sources of resources. He advocated for the protection of the marine ecosystem, the responsible use of marine resources, and keeping the interests of coastal communities at the centre of development efforts. He said that national prosperity and environmental responsibility are not opposing objectives but should strengthen each other.

Reiterating India's commitment to an open, inclusive, and rules-based maritime order, Shri Rajnath Singh highlighted the vision of 'MAHASAGAR' (Mutual and Holistic Advancement for Security and Growth Across Regions). This vision recognises the interconnected nature of security and prosperity among nations and asserts that the maritime future of the Indo-Pacific cannot be determined by any single country acting alone. Additionally, he identified the 'Indo-Pacific Oceans Initiative' announced by Prime Minister Modi in 2019 as a practical framework for enhancing maritime cooperation across seven interconnected sectors.

The Defence Minister urged IPRD participants to move beyond identifying challenges and focus on practical steps. He advocated for robust scientific networks, joint research, exchange between universities and maritime institutions, and the development of affordable technological solutions for common challenges. He said that ideas emerging from dialogue should be transformed into partnerships, projects, and measurable outcomes.

He concluded by saying, "The future of the Indo-Pacific will not be determined by technology alone. It will be determined by the knowledge with which we use technology, the partnerships we build, and the trust we establish between nations." He reaffirmed India's readiness to contribute to this collective effort and called for moving from shared challenges to shared understanding, from shared understanding to shared knowledge, and from shared knowledge to shared resilience and prosperity.

On this occasion, the Chief of the Naval Staff, Admiral Krishna Swaminathan, also addressed the gathering. He highlighted the unequal distribution of scientific knowledge, research infrastructure, and technological capabilities in the Indo-Pacific. He emphasised that maritime cooperation should not be limited to the acquisition of tools but should extend to building sustainable capabilities so that partner nations can use, maintain, adapt, and upgrade technology.

The Chief of the Naval Staff called for collaborative research efforts, including greater collective investment in ocean science and research, more sharing of scientific data and technology, and joint scientific expeditions. He explained the importance of strengthening regional institutions and processes through trust, transparency, and inclusive maritime governance. He observed that IPRD-2026 provides a vital platform to translate shared maritime interests into practical outcomes and to generate forward-looking recommendations to strengthen science, technology, and educational cooperation in the Indo-Pacific.

Army Chief General Dhiraj Seth, Air Chief Marshal Ashutosh Dixit, and former Chief of the Naval Staff and Chairman of NMF Admiral Dinesh K Tripathi (Retd) were also present at the event.

The three-day IPRD 2026, organised by the Indian Navy in collaboration with the National Maritime Foundation (NMF), commenced on 3 November, 2026. The second day of the dialogue focused on two themes of regional maritime resilience: better shared understanding of maritime activities and robust scientific capability to anticipate and respond to environmental changes.

On the second day, the Minister of State for Science and Technology as well as Earth Sciences (Independent Charge), Dr. Jitendra Singh, delivered a special address. He also released an NMF publication, ‘Alternative Hull Forms for the Future Indian Navy'.

The programme included an interactive session titled 'Perspectives from the Flag Bridge', which featured former Chiefs of the Naval Staff Admiral R.K. Dhavan, Admiral Sunil Lanba, Admiral Karambir Singh, and Admiral Dinesh K Tripathi, as well as former Commander of the Sri Lanka Navy Admiral Jayant Perera. The session was moderated by the Director General of NMF, Vice Admiral Pradeep Chauhan. The session discussed the relationship between maritime strategy, technological changes, and regional cooperation, specifically mentioning naval cooperation under the Indian Ocean Naval Symposium, which is currently presided over by the Indian Navy.

Additionally, in the 'Oceanographic Science and Climate Resilience' session moderated by Commodore Abhinav Barve, speakers discussed the scientific foundations of regional preparedness. Special emphasis was placed on collaborative maritime networks for climate resilience in Indian Ocean island nations such as Mauritius and Seychelles. The session also discussed aspects of collaborative data sharing, including turning ocean science into policy and aspects such as research vessels, observation networks, forecasting capabilities, and data-sharing systems.

Two ministerial-level sessions held on the second day provided strategic guidance to the conference and presented a comprehensive perspective on India's collaborative approach to addressing maritime security concerns in the Indo-Pacific.