‘Strong Indian Navy in Indian Ocean Region is our top priority’: Defence minister Rajnath Singh

MUMBAI: Defence Minister Rajnath Singh on Wednesday highlighted the government’s commitment to enhancing national security and achieving ‘Atmnirbharta’ (self-reliance) in the sector and said that India’s focus is on modernizing its armed forces and implementing key reforms by the end of 2025.

Speaking at the commissioning of three advanced warships — INS Surat, INS Nilgiri, and INS Vaghsheer, Singh underscored the growing strategic importance of the Indian Ocean Region. “Improving India’s security system and achieving self-reliance in the defence sector has been the priority of the Prime Minister. The continuous strengthening of our defence sector is a testament to this. The commissioning of INS Surat, INS Nilgiri, and INS Vaghsheer together is not only a milestone for the Indian Navy but also a demonstration of India’s significant power in the Indian Ocean Region under your leadership”, he said.

#WATCH | Mumbai: On the commissioning of three frontline naval combatants INS Surat, INS Nilgiri and INS Vaghsheer, Defence Minister Rajnath Singh says, “The historic commissioning of INS Surat, INS Nilgiri and INS Vaghsheer, is a testimony not just to the Indian Navy, but also… pic.twitter.com/YxFswK5EXr

— ANI (@ANI) January 15, 2025

The Defence Minister also asserted that the Indian Ocean Region has always been strategically and economically important for the country. “But in today’s rapidly changing environment, it has become even more significant. We can now say that the importance that the Atlantic Ocean once held has shifted to the Indian Ocean. A large portion of global trade and commerce passes through this region. Additionally, due to geostrategic reasons, this region is increasingly becoming a natural part of international power rivalry. Along with this, illegal activities such as drug smuggling, narcotics trafficking, illegal fishing, human trafficking, and terrorism persist in the region,” Rajnath Singh said.

He continued to emphasized that India’s geostrategic and economic interests in the Indian Ocean Region have been long-standing. “Whether it’s trade with Rome over 2,000 years ago or trade with Southeast Asian countries, India’s trade today is 95 per cent connected to this region. In such a scenario, a strong Indian Navy presence in the Indian Ocean Region becomes our top priority. The commissioning of these ships today will be another milestone in our journey toward achieving this goal”, he said.

Rajnath Singh mentioned that over 75 per cent of the content of the INS Surat and INS Nilgiri being commissioned today has been developed in India. “We are rapidly advancing our modernization efforts. On one hand, we are producing large platforms domestically, and on the other, our focus is also on low-cost, high-impact systems that can make our armed forces potent in a short time”, he said.

“The Ministry of Defence has declared 2025 as the “Year of Reforms.” Under this initiative, we are committed to implementing necessary reforms in the Ministry of Defence and the three armed forces. I am confident that by the end of the year, we will have introduced several reforms in the security sector that will help India’s defence sector reach new heights”, Singh added.

INS Surat, the fourth and final ship of the P15B Guided Missile Destroyer Project, ranks among the largest and most sophisticated destroyers in the world. It has an indigenous content of 75 per cent and is equipped with state-of-the-art weapon-sensor packages and advanced network-centric capabilities.

INS Nilgiri, the first ship of the P17A Stealth Frigate Project, has been designed by the Indian Navy’s Warship Design Bureau and incorporates advanced features for enhanced survivability, seakeeping, and stealth, reflecting the next generation of indigenous frigates.

INS Vaghsheer, the sixth and final submarine of the P75 Scorpene Project, represents India’s growing expertise in submarine construction and has been constructed in collaboration with the Naval Group of France. (ANI)