Operation Sindoor is still in progress, and Navy Chief Admiral Dinesh K Tripathi has cautioned that modern conflicts can unfold suddenly, demanding uninterrupted readiness and seamless air defence coordination across the armed forces. Speaking at the Admiral JG Nadkarni Memorial Lecture in Pune, he declined to discuss operational specifics but said the mission demonstrated the Navy’s ability to deploy rapidly, fire weapons decisively, and adopt an aggressive posture immediately after the Pahalgam terror attack that killed 26 people. According to him, the Navy’s swift action ensured that the Pakistan Navy remained confined to its harbours.
The operation, launched in May after the Pahalgam incident, highlighted India’s capacity to project overwhelming force at sea. Admiral Tripathi said that in a security environment where state and non-state actors increasingly use similar weapons and tactics, naval units must leave harbour prepared for full-scale combat while remaining capable of constabulary duties.
He noted that the Navy continues to maintain a strong presence across the Indo-Pacific, securing maritime routes and responding to threats ranging from piracy to distress calls at sea, irrespective of a vessel’s flag or the nationality of its crew. With nearly 11,000 ship-days at sea last year and a continuous anti-piracy deployment in the Gulf of Aden since 2008, the Navy’s mission-based approach has enabled rapid responses to emergencies — including INS Visakhapatnam’s firefighting support to MV Marlin Luanda and INS Teg’s rescue of nine crew members from the capsized Prestige Falcon. These efforts earned the service back-to-back commendations from the International Maritime Organisation.
Admiral Tripathi also spoke about India’s rising maritime focus through Maritime India Vision 2030, Maritime Amrit Kaal 2047, updated maritime legislation, and heavy investment in port and shipping infrastructure — all contributing to India’s long-term aim of Viksit Bharat 2047 and signalling a broader maritime resurgence.
On regional relations, he described Bangladesh as a “friend” and suggested that the present friction is temporary, expressing confidence that ties would improve after the upcoming elections. Turning to technological challenges, he highlighted the rapidly evolving underwater domain, the growth of unmanned and autonomous platforms, the increasing role of artificial intelligence, and the shift toward machine-speed decision-making in warfare. He said greater transparency at sea — driven by satellites, drones, and AI — along with cheaper drones and hypersonic weapons is reshaping maritime conflict.
In this context, Admiral Tripathi stressed that the Indian Navy must continually adapt to geopolitical changes, disruptive technologies, and new tactical realities while staying ready around the clock.
