Rajnath Singh, Defence Minister will address the naval commanders’ conference on 19th August. First conference after the formation of the Department of Military Affairs and the Chief of Defence Staff , will focus on the operational readiness ,tri-service synergy and to optimize the joint planning. The discussion assumes the importance in the view of ongoing border tensions with China.
“The conference assumes greater significance in the backdrop of recent events on our northern borders, coupled with the unprecedented challenges posed by COVID-19 … The conference would discuss upon the ways to optimise joint planning structures, tri-service synergy, and operational readiness as also functional reorganisation within the Indian Navy to improve efficiency,” said release of Defence Ministry.
The conference will also focus on the operational preparedness, maintenance of assets, procurement issues and human resource management amid the ongoing challenges due tocoronavirus. Senior government officials will be part of three day conference, according to the release.
The release stated,”In keeping with Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s vision of SAGAR (Security and Growth for All in the Region), the commanders would also undertake deliberations upon the larger security imperatives in the Indo-Pacific,”.
Over the years, Indian Ocean Region has assumed the importance because of the presence of key global maritime trade routes. As the Chinese maritime vessels undertake patrols in the region, under the pretext of anti piracy missions. The Indian Navy has ramped up its presence in the region during the current Galwan crisis, as reported earlier.
