Proliferation of weapons of mass destruction, drones a concern because of rogue states, non-state actors: Navy Chief

In his speech, the Navy Chief said, “As our nation tries to find a rightful place in the comity of nations, the seas will drive our growth and prosperity. As we move to become the third largest economy, much more trade will go through the seas. Therefore, it is very important to ensure seas remain safe, stable and secure and that is the job of maritime security agencies such as the Navy and the Coast Guard.”

#WATCH | Pune, Maharashtra: At the closing ceremony of Maharashtra MSMSE Defence Expo, Chief of Naval Staff Admiral R Hari Kumar says, “This is a unique exhibition. They have been able to bring together several MSMEs…It is very important that we develop the ecosystem and… pic.twitter.com/XDp6rujnFt

— ANI (@ANI) February 26, 2024

“I am convinced that we are currently transitioning through a contested present into an uncertain future. This contest manifests not only as conflict but also as intense competition across the entire spectrum. These are also aggravated because of the non-state actors, state-sponsored actors, business and interest groups using disruptive technologies and social influences,” said Admiral Kumar.

“In the current and future security paradigm, concerns about the proliferation of sensitive technologies like weapons of mass destruction, missiles, and drones have assumed new relevance because of non-state actors and rogue states which are using such technologies for an asymmetric advantage, like we see today in West Asia. The Indian Navy remains at the forefront of safeguarding crucial global trade routes and India’s maritime interests with the ongoing anti-drone and anti-piracy operations both in the North and the West Arabian Sea from missiles attacks and pirates. We will not hesitate to deploy the full spectrum of capabilities to ensure the safety, security, and stability of global commons or the Indian Ocean region,” said the Navy Chief.

Stating that Atma Nirbharta in defence is no longer an economic imperative but a strategic requirement to retain strategic autonomy, Admiral R Hari Kumar said, “Our transition from a buyer’s navy to a builder’s navy helped not only in supporting and promoting the defence industry but has also resulted in economic growth and industrial skilling…Our current force level is about 130 plus ships and 250 aircraft. We anticipate that this will grow to about 175 by 2035 and about 400 aircraft. While we seek numerical growth, the focus is also on capability enhancement and tech induction.”

Chief of Army Staff General Pande said, “As we move into the future, We want to move from a buyer-seller relationship to one of partnering with the industry. We have been proactive in reaching the industry with problem statements which give out our requirements. With Atmanirbharta as an edifice of our capability development approach, ‘indigenous to modernise’ shall remain our mantra.”

“Pune stands as a beacon of innovation, housing institutions, startups, research centres and manufacturing units that drive economic growth. It is a city renowned for pioneering innovative products, solutions, and services not just for India, but for the world,” said General Pande.

‘Brahmos to be mainstay’

During the media interaction, when asked about the Cabinet Committee on Security (CCS) clearing the Rs 20,000 crore deal for BrahMos missiles for the Indian naval ships, Admiral R Hari Kumar said, “BrahMos will be our primary weapon now as the surface-to-surface missile while the Air Force may use it as an air-to-surface weapon. The Brahmos is a very potent missile, which has evolved in its range and capabilities. This is going to be the mainstay for sometime and that is why we are replacing all old missiles, which we got from other countries, with BrahMos.”

“It’s a great advantage that we do not have to depend on any other nation as the Brahmos missile is made in India,” said the Navy chief.