In order to evaluate strategic, operational, and technology priorities in a constantly changing security landscape, the Indian Navy’s second biannual Naval Commanders’ Conference for 2025 began on October 22 and lasted for three days in New Delhi.
To assess the changing security environment in the Indian Ocean Region, India’s principal maritime area of responsibility, senior navy leadership, including Commander-in-Chiefs of many commands and Chief of the navy Staff Admiral R. Hari Kumar, gathered.
The meeting comes after the conclusion of “Operation Sindoor,” in which the Navy was instrumental in establishing maritime supremacy and discouraging hostile aerial movements along the Makran coast by deploying its Carrier Battle Group, which included MiG-29K fighter fighters and airborne early warning capabilities.
Along with continuous training programs and logistical alignment for a variety of mission profiles, a greater emphasis was placed on operational preparedness along the Eastern and Western seaboards. A thorough examination of the Navy’s plan for future capacity development was on the agenda, with a focus on digital transformation and the incorporation of disruptive technologies like big data, machine learning, and artificial intelligence into operational frameworks.
In keeping with the Navy’s modernization efforts, these technologies are being evaluated for their capacity to improve combat solutions and guarantee continuous, flawless operations in a secure setting.
In order to maximize resource utilization and improve tri-service synergy, interoperability and cooperative operational planning with the Indian Army, Air Force, and Coast Guard were key themes.
While Defence Minister Rajnath Singh and Cabinet Secretary Rajiv Gauba offered strategic viewpoints on national security and the government’s vision for Viksit Bharat 2047, Chief of Defence Staff General Anil Chauhan and Air Chief Marshal Amar Preet Singh worked with naval leadership to strengthen joint planning mechanisms.
The conference also provided a forum for coordinating naval goals with more general national plans, such as the MAHASAGAR vision, which supports holistic development, mutual security, and India’s position as the Indo-Pacific region’s chosen security partner.
The Navy wants to enhance the amount of indigenous content in its hull, propulsion, and weapon systems, and indigenization and innovation under the “Make in India” project were major topics of debate. 50% of the “Fight” (weapons and sensors), 60% of the “Move” (propulsion), and 90% of the “Float” (hull) components of naval platforms were indigenized as of October 2024. Additional advancements are anticipated under the Roll-on Plan for 2023–2026.
After INS Tamal was commissioned in July 2025 as the final ship of foreign origin, the Navy also pledged to build all future warships in the United States.
The symposium was held in conjunction with Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s Diwali visit aboard India’s first domestically constructed aircraft carrier, INS Vikrant, highlighting the strategic and symbolic significance of naval might.
The Prime Minister praised the armed forces’ concerted efforts during Operation Sindoor, which showcased India’s precise strike capabilities and deterrence posture, and praised INS Vikrant as a soaring representation of Aatmanirbhar Bharat. The visit reaffirmed the importance of maritime security and the Navy’s role in defending India’s interests in an area that is becoming more and more disputed.
