Article Posted on : - Apr 22, 2019

NEW DELHI (PTI): Top commanders of Indian Navy will extensively deliberate on emerging challenges facing the country in the maritime domain and review the evolving security dynamics in the region at a three-day conclave beginning Tuesday.

Navy officials said the Naval Commanders Conference is expected to fine-tune the Navy's strategy for responding to any possible threats and added that it will discuss overall security challenges in the backdrop of the Pulwama attack and developments thereafter.

"The conference assumes greater significance in the backdrop of Pulwama associated events that have brought the country's defence under sharper focus and will provide the higher naval leadership a forum to discuss the emerging challenges in the maritime domain," the Navy said in a statement.

The conference is the apex forum within the Navy for interaction between the naval commanders.

Defence Minister Nirmala Sitharaman is scheduled to address the naval commanders on the opening day and interact with them.
Chief of the Naval Staff Admiral Sunil Lanba will review major operational, materiel, logistics, training, human resources and administrative issues at the conference.

"Interaction with chiefs of Indian Army and Indian Air Force during the conference would be utilised to analyse the operational environment, deliberate on tri-service synergy and readiness to deter and neutralise threats aimed at the country's sovereignty and territorial integrity," the Navy said.

Themes like functional reorganisation of Indian Navy towards improving operational efficiency and optimal manning will form the core of discussions towards finalising long term roadmap for the force, the Navy said.

It said discussions will take place on acquisition of new capabilities, harnessing niche technologies like big data analytics and artificial intelligence for solutions in the domains of naval combat, convergence of networks, logistics and administration.

In keeping with the expectation of the Indian Navy being the net security provider in the Indian Ocean Region and first responder to any crisis, the forum will also deliberate upon the lessons learnt from the recently concluded humanitarian and disaster relief operations by it, said a Navy official.