Focus is on sea power, says Rajnath at Eastern Naval Command

He said the Indian Navy is continuously becoming stronger, factored by growing industrial infrastructure. “Our shipyards are expanding, aircraft carriers increasing, and our Navy is emerging as a new powerful force. We will give momentum to our efforts in the second tenure as well,” he said.

He said 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.”

As part of reviewing the operational readiness of the Indian Navy, he embarked on INS Jalashwa for a day at sea, during which he was shown operational demonstrations by various ships, submarines and aircraft of the Command to showcase the combat capability and preparedness of the Indian Navy.

“Our Navy ensures that no nation suppresses another in the Indo-Pacific region or endangers its strategic autonomy on the basis of economic strength or military power,” he said
He specially mentioned the Navy’s daring rescue operation in the Arabian Sea in March 2024, when it freed 23 Pakistani nationals from Somali pirates. This operation, he said, was a demonstration of humanity as well as the values imbibed in the Naval personnel, who come to the aid of everyone, irrespective of nationality.