AMN WEB DESK
Defence Minister Rajnath Singh on Monday stated that as a responsible maritime stakeholder, India supports consensus based principles and a peaceful, open, rule based and stable world order.
He said India envisions Indian Ocean Region with the universal values of rule based freedom of navigation and free trade in which the interests of all participating countries are protected. The Minister was addressing the Naval Commanders during the inaugural session of second edition of Naval Commanders’ Conference of 2021.
The conference was attended by all Operational and Area Commanders of the Indian Navy to review major operational, materiel, logistics, Human Resource Development, training, and administrative activities.
Mr Singh said, the geographical location of India is unique in many ways and it is very important from the point of view of strategic, trade and resources. He said
there is a greater need to maintain peace and stability within the Indian Maritime Zones in order to boost the trade and economic activities. He stressed that India Navy’s role in ensuring maintenance of this peace and stability in the region is going to increase manifold in the times to come.
The Minister expressed happiness that Navy has already been ahead in the field of self-reliance, indigenisation in shipbuilding, and manufacturing of submarines. He said in the last five financial years, more than two-thirds of the Navy’s Modernisation Budget has been spent on indigenous procurement.
