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India’s destiny as a global maritime power is deeply tied to its oceans, and the Indian Navy is steering a determined course toward self-reliance, innovation, and technological dominance, said Admiral Dinesh K Tripathi, Chief of the Naval Staff.
Speaking at the Annual Business Summit hosted by the Confederation of Indian Industry (CII), Admiral Tripathi laid out a comprehensive roadmap for strengthening India’s maritime capabilities, aligning with the nation’s broader goals of strategic autonomy and Atmanirbharta.
He stated, “India is, was, and will always be a maritime nation—not just by design or geography, but also by destiny in terms of our future growth.”
In his address he highlighted the crucial role of the seas in India’s economy, noting that “95% of India’s trade by volume and 88% of our energy comes from the seas.” He added, “Our future prosperity will be driven by, at, and from the seas.”
Indigenization
The focus of Admiral Tripathi’s address was the Navy’s long-standing commitment to indigenization. “It has always been our core priority,” he said. “For now, more than half a century, we are committed to becoming a fully Aatmanirbhar force—by aircraft carriers and SSBNs.”
He introduced the Navy’s strategic mantra—Indigenization, Innovation, and Integration—as the foundation for future capability development. Admiral Tripathi called on Indian industry to play a front-line role in this transformation.
The Naval Innovation and Indigenisation Organisation (NIIO), established in 2021, is working in tandem with industry and startups to co-develop and fast-track technologies. He also highlighted the expansion of the iDEX (Innovations for Defence Excellence) scheme. “The IDEX scheme has seen its allocations jump three times in the last two years,” he noted.
From SAGAR to MAHASAGAR
Referencing India’s strategic doctrine, Admiral Tripathi spoke about the evolution of the SAGAR initiative—Security and Growth for All in the Region—first articulated by Prime Minister Narendra Modi in 2015. This has now evolved into MAHASAGAR—Mutual and Holistic Advancement of Security and Growth Across Regions.
“This is reflective of India’s growing stakes and steadfast conviction that our destiny as a nation lies in reclaiming our oceanic opportunities,” the Navy Chief said, underscoring India’s expanding role in regional maritime security and economic cooperation.
Disruptive Technologies
The Admiral also outlined the importance of emerging technologies in enhancing naval capability. With warfare becoming increasingly hybrid and high-tech, the Indian Navy is focused on integrating advancements in AI, quantum computing, cyber warfare, and autonomous systems across surface, subsurface, air, space, and cyber domains.
“Technology, which is galloping at the speed of thought, is the glue that brings together cutting-edge capabilities for India to protect its interests at sea,” he said. The Navy has also published technology roadmaps to guide industry partners on niche and critical capability gaps—from propulsion systems and aero engines to hypersonic and high-end sensors.
A New Paradigm for National Security
Admiral Tripathi stressed that modern threats are no longer confined to traditional battlefields. “National security no longer begins only at borders,” he said. “It also begins in our R&D labs, in our factories, and in our firewalls.”
He warned that the nature of conflict has evolved, with blurred lines between peace and war, the democratization of technology, and the rise of non-contact and cyber warfare. In this new paradigm, he said, industry must see itself as a combat partner—ready to innovate, scale, and adapt in real-time.
