Union Defence Minister Rajnath Singh with Chief of Naval Staff Admiral Dinesh K Tripathi and Flag Officer Commanding-in-Chief Eastern Naval Command Vice Admiral Sanjay Bhalla during Exercise MILAN 2026 inauguration, in Visakhapatnam on Thursday.
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ANI

Defence Minister Rajnath Singh on Thursday said that international attention to underwater resources, particularly rare-earth minerals is growing, adding a new dimension to the maritime tension. He, therefore, urged before Chiefs of Navies and heads of delegations of 74 countries to effectively tackle the evolving complex and interconnected challenges at sea while acting in the spirit of mutual respect.

Addressing Chiefs of Navies and heads of delegations during the inaugural ceremony of Exercise MILAN at Visakhapatnam, Singh said, “The role of Navies in international peacemaking has only increased over time. There has been an exponential economic growth during last few decades leading to massive increase in international trade and transport. There has also been a rise in contests for ownership of straits and channels, sometimes causing threats of flare up.”

“Increasing international attention to underwater resources, particularly rare-earth minerals are adding a new dimension to this tension. In addition, there is a need to guard our waters from the nefarious terrorist activities which are spreading tentacles across countries and regions,” he stated.

The Defence Minister also asserted that traditional threats coexist with emerging challenges such as piracy, maritime terrorism, illegal fishing, trafficking, cyber vulnerabilities, and disruptions to critical supply chains, adding that climate change is intensifying natural disasters, making humanitarian and disaster relief operations more frequent and demanding. No single navy, however capable, can address these challenges alone, he said, underscoring the need for enhanced cooperation among the Navies to ensure a safer and more secure future, he observed.

Chief of Naval Staff Admiral Dinesh K Tripathi said that India clearly recognises that today’s maritime challenges are complex, interconnected, and transnational and that’s why he sought Navies to work together and pool individual strengths.

Three-tiered approach

“Indian Navy’s efforts are progressed through a unique three-tiered approach. At the global level, the Indian Navy works with partners to promote holistic maritime security – spanning governance, law enforcement, humanitarian assistance, and environmental stewardship, into a single continuum of purpose upon the global commons,” he said before the august gathering.

“At the regional level, we remain mindful that maritime challenges and operational necessities vary across sub-regions. One size may not fit all, and thus, staying ahead of the curve needs our cooperative measures to be calibrated to local realities and requirements. Two recent examples reflect this approach,” he noted.

The month-long deployment of an Indian Naval Ship as Indian Ocean Ship Sagar to South-West IOR with a mixed crew of about 44 personnel from nine IOR countries demonstrated our willingness to share platforms, responsibilities, and experiences, said the Navy Chief. Building on this, IOS SAGAR 2.0 will be deployed in April this year, with even wider participation, he added.

Published on February 19, 2026