📍New Delhi | 28 Oct, 2025, 8:36 PM
Indo-Pacific Regional Dialogue 2025: Indian Navy Chief Admiral Dinesh Tripathi says that the future of the Hindu-Pacific region can only be protected by collective cooperation, dialogue and confidence. He said that the sea is not just the path of business and culture, but it is the foundation of the shared heritage and survival of the whole humanity.
Speaking in the Indo-Pacific Regional Dialogue 2025, organized in New Delhi, the Naval Chief said that the theme of Dialogue this year is promoting overall maritime security and development: regional capacity building and collective power enhancement. He said that it has been organized under India’s new Marine Vision "Mahasagar" (Mutual and Holistic Advancement for Securities and Growth Acros Reasons). The vision is to expand Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s "Sea" policy (Skyurity and Growth for All in the Region), which is now focused on collective security and development throughout the Hindu-Pacific region.
Risks becoming "Dianaxic Challenge"
The Navy chief said that the oceans have added countries to themselves for centuries through trade, culture and curiosity. He mentioned that the statement of Prime Minister Narendra Modi stated that "the prosperity of any nation and peace of the sea are linked to each other. "" He said that no longer maritime security can be seen just like a danger, but it needs to be understood as a "Dianaxic challenge", that is, the challenge that is both dynamic and complex.
Three major challenges
Naval chief also entailed three major challenges in his address that are affecting the existing global marine landscape. The first challenge is the trading barrier. He said that the global maritime trade in 2025 is likely to decline, which could be just 0.5 per cent of the 2024’s 2.2 per cent. It is not only an economic slowdown but a sign of strategic weakness. The Red C crisis showed how a marine route could impact shipping costs, insurance premiums, and food prices all over the world.
$23 billion deficit from illegal fishing
The second challenge is international disturbance. He said illegal activities in the seas are growing rapidly. These include fishing in illegal ways, sea robbery, arms and smuggling of intoxicating substances, and human trafficking. All of them have become factors that cause great tension in the marine region. According to the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations, every year, the unlawful, unreported and dismantled the rules and the fishing is ruined by 1.1 to 2.6 crore tonnes of fish. That leads to a loss of 10 to 23 billion dollars.
He said that the smuggling gangs are taking advantage of the areas of the sea where there is no control of any governments or the laws are weak. They are also taking drugs, weapons and even restricted stuff. It gives money to terrorist organisations and increases disturbance on the ground. He further said that the sea’s rising watering, storm and dirt are bringing all the new troubles. The people are at risk both life and employment. These are great dangers especially for developing countries with small islands.
Fast changing technique Bunny Challenge
While the third challenge he told the fast changing technique. The Navy chief said that new technologies are breaking down the old boundaries. Artificial Intelligence, Robot Ship, and Commercial Satellite are now completely changing the sea monitoring and accountable action. While, there are also new problems such as cyber attack, signal spoofing and electronic interference. He said that the cases of GPS jamming and electronic barriers are increasing every day according to recent IFC-IOR reports.
Marine Safety and Marine Development Two Propellers of a Ship
Nevy Chief Admiral Tripathi said we are reminded that marine security and marine development are not two different paths. But there are two propellers of a ship, which leads us to peace and prosperity. He said that India’s goal is to ensure "complete maritime security" which has the same role and responsibility of every country.
He pointed out that the Indian Navy is working on this approach and the Marytime Engagement (Ikeme) exercise of Africa-India with the recent nine African countries is the move taken in this direction. Further, the Information Fusion Centre in Gurugram – Indian Ocean Region (AFC-AOR) has been prepared as an international information centre. The Centre has now become a big platform for sharing marine information. Here is the 15 International Liaison Officers working and aiming to deliver up to 50 this number by 2028.
The navy chief said that the maritime capacity is not just the number of ships or bureaucrats, but it symbolizes a shared regional power. He reported that the recent Indian Navy had successfully practiced with foreign submarines in Pacific Reach Exercise, taking a critical step towards regional cooperation.
At the same time, Indian Navy has also prepared Nishar-Mitra terminals, which will help to share information with friends countries. He told that India is now taking its defence-industryal co-operation out of the borders under the "Mahasagar" vision, to strengthen the friends countries through indigenous technology and cheap systems.
New strategies essential for new challenges
नौसेना प्रमुख ने कहा कि किसी भी देश की वास्तविक क्षमता उसके जहाजों या इक्विपमेंट्स में नहीं, बल्कि उनकी सोच, सिद्धांत और प्रशिक्षण में होती है। उन्होंने “पर्पज-सेंट्रिक थिंकिंग” की जरूरत पर जोर देते हुए कहा कि नई चुनौतियों के लिए नई रणनीतियां जरूरी हैं। उन्होंने उदाहरण देते हुए बताया कि भारतीय नौसेना ने हाल ही में इंडियन ओशन शिप (आईओएस) सागर को दक्षिण-पश्चिम हिंद महासागर क्षेत्र में तैनात किया, जिसमें एतिहासिक तौर पर नौ देशों के 44 अधिकारी संयुक्त रूप से शामिल हुए।
वहीं, कार्यक्रम की शुरुआत में भारतीय नौसेना के पूर्व प्रमुख एडमिरल करमबीर सिंह ने कहा कि आज दुनिया के समुद्रों में अस्थिरता बढ़ रही है। बड़ी शक्तियों के बीच प्रतिस्पर्धा, गैर-राज्यीय संगठनों की गतिविधियां और जलवायु परिवर्तन जैसी चुनौतियां समुद्री क्षेत्र को जटिल बना रही हैं। उन्होंने कहा कि इन समस्याओं से निपटने के लिए सभी देशों को मिलकर एक सहयोगी समुद्री ढांचा बनाना चाहिए।
इंडो-पैसिफिक रीजनल डायलॉग 2025 में 19 देश शामिल
इस साल के इंडो-पैसिफिक रीजनल डायलॉग 2025 में 19 देशों से आए 40 विशेषज्ञों और प्रतिनिधियों ने हिस्सा लिया।
इस कार्यक्रम का आयोजन भारतीय नौसेना और नेशनल मेरीटाइम फाउंडेशन के सहयोग से किया गया। यह इस वार्षिक कार्यक्रम का सातवां संस्करण है। इसे भारतीय नौसेना हर साल अपने अंतरराष्ट्रीय साझेदारों, रणनीतिक विशेषज्ञों और नीति-निर्माताओं के साथ मिलकर आयोजित करती है। इसका उद्देश्य हिंद-प्रशांत क्षेत्र में सहयोग, संवाद और सुरक्षा को मजबूत करना है।
