Top Indian Navy Commanders To Meet In Delhi As Chinese Spy Ship Heads To Sri Lanka

Top commanders of the Indian Navy will meet in Delhi today (4 September) for the second edition of the biennial Naval Commanders' Conference to review India's security challenges and enhance jointness between the three services.

The three-day conclave comes against the backdrop of Sri Lanka allowing the Chinese spy ship Shi Yan 6 to dock at Colombo port, which follows the docking of another Chinese warship, Yang 24 Hao, just two weeks ago.

The spy ship is scheduled to conduct research activities for 17 days in collaboration with Sri Lanka's National Aquatic Resources Research and Development Agency (NARA), starting 25 October.

Defence Minister Rajnath Singh, National Security Advisor Ajit Doval, Chief of Defence Staff General Anil Chauhan, Army Chief General Manoj Pande, and Air Chief Marshal V R Chaudhari will also engage with the naval commanders during the conference, which will be held in Delhi.

During the conference, the naval commanders will have the opportunity to interact with the NSA, Army Chief, and Air Force Chief, in addition to conducting a thorough analysis of the operational environment.

The focus will be on discussing the issue of tri-services synergy and assessing the readiness of the maritime forces, according to the navy.

The naval commanders' conference is a biennial event that serves as a platform for naval commanders to engage in discussions and make important policy decisions.

It facilitates interaction and collaboration among the commanders, allowing for the formulation of strategies and policies.

"The senior leadership of the Indian Navy will review major operational, materiel, logistics, human resources, training, and administrative activities undertaken during the previous six months," the navy said. 

The upcoming conference will discuss the direction to be taken in the coming months.

The navy said that the conference is an opportunity for naval commanders to interact with government officials and work on initiatives for a safe and secure maritime environment, crucial for the country's economic growth.

"The conference also provides an opportunity for institutionalised interaction of naval commanders with senior government officials to take ahead several inter-ministerial initiatives towards the development of a safe and secure maritime environment essential for the holistic economic growth of the country," the navy stated. 

Over the past six months, the Indian Navy has been highly active, conducting operations across the Atlantic and Pacific.

During the conference, there will be a thorough evaluation of the navy's operational readiness, with a specific focus on the performance of weapons and sensors on naval platforms.

The navy announced that during the conference, the commanders will be reviewing the ongoing naval projects with a focus on enhancing indigenisation through 'Make in India', in line with the vision of achieving complete 'Aatmanirbharta' by 2047.

In addition to the conference, there will also be a demonstration of the indigenisation, innovations, and tech initiatives by the Indian Navy.

The navy also mentioned that various HR initiatives aimed at enhancing the quality of life will be reviewed during the conference.

Additionally, there will be a discussion on the progress made towards identifying and removing archaic practices in the Indian Navy.