Naval Commanders’ Conference: As a responsible maritime actor, India supports a stable rules-based world order, says Rajnath

AMN WEB OFFICE

Defense Minister Rajnath Singh said on Monday that as a responsible maritime actor, India supports consensus-based principles and a peaceful, open, rules-based and stable world order.

He said India views the Indian Ocean region with the universal values ​​of rules-based freedom of navigation and free trade, in which the interests of all participating countries are protected. The Minister was addressing naval commanders at the inaugural session of the second edition of the 2021 Naval Commanders’ Conference.

The conference brought together all operational and area commanders of the Indian Navy to review key operational, material, logistical, human resource development, training and administrative activities.

Mr. Singh said that India’s geographic location is unique in many ways and very important from a strategic, commercial and resource point of view. He said
There is a greater need to maintain peace and stability in Indian maritime areas in order to stimulate trade and economic activities. He stressed that the role of the Indian Navy in ensuring the maintenance of peace and stability in the region will increase considerably in the times to come.

The Minister expressed his satisfaction that the Navy has already been ahead in the field of self-sufficiency, the indigenization of shipbuilding and the manufacture of submarines. He said that over the past five years, more than two-thirds of the Navy’s modernization budget has been spent on local purchases.