In his first visit after assuming charge as Defence Minister for the second term, Rajnath Singh visited the Eastern Naval Command at Visakhapatnam, Andhra Pradesh, on Friday to review the operational readiness of the Indian Navy. He actively participated in the ‘Day at Sea’ on INS Jalashwa, witnessing the dynamic operations of various ships, submarines, and the command’s aircraft. This showcased the combat capability and preparedness of the Indian Navy. Chief of the Naval Staff Admiral Dinesh K Tripathi and Flag Officer Commanding-in-Chief, Eastern Naval Command Vice Admiral Rajesh Pendharkar accompanied him.
Interacting with the officers and sailors of the Eastern Fleet, Singh commended the Indian Navy for being operationally ready and emerging as the first responder in the Indian Ocean Region (IOR).
“Our Navy ensures that no nation suppresses another in the Indo-Pacific region or endangers its strategic autonomy based on economic strength or military power,” he said. The Defence Minister highlighted the Navy’s growing strength, which is ensuring the security of India’s maritime borders. He also underlined that India’s commercial interests are linked with the IOR, and the Navy is a means of securing the maritime borders while achieving the wider national objectives. He said national interest is of paramount importance to the government, assuring that all possible steps will be taken to safeguard them.
Rajnath Singh emphasised that, in his second term, the focus will be on further strengthening maritime security and making the presence of India’s naval power in IOR more effective and robust.
“The Indian Navy is continuously becoming stronger, factored by growing industrial infrastructure. Our shipyards are expanding, aircraft carriers are increasing, and our Navy is emerging as a new powerful force. We will give momentum to our efforts in the second tenure as well. Be it the Himalayas or the Indian Ocean, our priority will be to strengthen the security at the borders continuously,” he said. He added that the government’s focus on land borders and maritime security has a broader vision – to bind the northern and southern parts of the nation in one thread.
Team BharatShakti
