Navy must upgrade maritime surveillance amid rising grey-zone challenges: Rajnath Singh

Defence Minister Rajnath Singh urged for a substantial enhancement of India's maritime surveillance and response capabilities during his address at the Indian Navy's second biannual Commanders' Conference 2026. Singh pointed out the escalating congestion, deception, and grey-zone activities in the world's oceans, alongside India's expanding strategic responsibilities in the Indian Ocean Region.

He emphasized that India had become a "First Responder" and "Preferred Security Partner" in the region, and stressed the need to elevate maritime monitoring and response mechanisms to a higher level. Singh highlighted the Indian Navy's blue-water capability, noting the deployment of Indian warships in the South China Sea, Mediterranean, and Atlantic Ocean.

He underlined the Navy's crucial role in providing strategic depth and facilitating regional power projection. Singh also pointed out that 2026 marked a historic year for the Navy, with 18 warships set to be inducted or commissioned, representing the largest single-year force growth in its history. He underscored the significance of maritime security for India's economic and energy security, citing the Navy's role in ensuring secure transit of Indian-flagged merchant vessels, especially LPG tankers, through the Strait of Hormuz under Operation Urja Suraksha amid the West Asia crisis.

Singh praised the Navy's "All Ranks, All Roles" approach and the deployment of women officers on frontline warships and aircraft. He congratulated the Navy on taking command of Combined Task Force-154 under Combined Maritime Forces and highlighted Operation Southern Readiness, involving 276 personnel from 27 nations. The three-day conference, held from September 29 to October 1, gathered the Navy's senior leadership to assess operational readiness, maritime security, and future capability development.