Need to build a Navy that can fight, sustain without any constraints: Admiral Swaminathan

Admiral Krishna Swaminathan, the chief of the Indian Navy, has called for a transformation of the Indian Navy to ensure it can fight, sustain and adapt without being constrained by external factors or dependencies. This vision aligns with the concept of 'Aatmanirbharta' or self-reliance, which the Navy chief sees as a strategic necessity rather than isolation.

At the Delhi Defence Dialogue, Admiral Swaminathan emphasized that Aatmanirbharta does not mean isolation, but rather building greater self-reliance in defence through collaboration with friendly foreign countries from a position of strength. He highlighted the need for building a Navy capable of "answer the requirements of the 21st-century national security of India and make every single one of us proud".

The Indian Navy is preparing for a major transformation with Project 18A, an ambitious program to develop next-generation stealth guided-missile destroyers. These futuristic warships will be equipped with advanced sensors and weapons, and their delivery is expected five to ten years after the contract is signed.

Admiral Swaminathan cited growing political tensions globally as factors that have inflamed "old, historical fault lines" and led to the use of force as an acceptable instrument of national policy. He pointed to the ongoing conflict in Ukraine to emphasize the impact a conflict can have on supply chains and warfighting capabilities, and stressed the need for building a Navy capable of "fight, sustain and adapt by itself without being constrained by any extraneous factors or any other person or agency... or external dependencies".

The Navy chief also highlighted the need to fill "critical gaps" and invest more in research and development (R&D), as well as in niche and emerging technologies, and ensure the innovation-to-operational-capabilities transition takes place in a reasonable time.