VISAKHAPATNAM (ANDHRA PRADESH), June 14: Defence minister Rajnath Singh said here on Friday that he would focus on further strengthening India’s maritime security and marking its presence as a naval power in the Indian Ocean Region more effective and robust.
Singh made this observation on his first outstation visit after becoming the defence minister for the second consecutive time.
He visited the Eastern Naval Command (ENC) in Visakhapatnam to review the operational readiness of the Indian Navy and embarked on a ‘Day at Sea’ programme on INS Jalashwa.
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“The Indian Navy is continuously becoming stronger, factored by growing industrial infrastructure. Our shipyards are expanding, aircraft carriers increasing, and our Navy is emerging as a new powerful force. We will give momentum to our efforts in this tenure as well,” Singh was quoted as saying in a press release.
He noted that the government’s focus on land borders and maritime security has a broader vision, which is to bind the northern and southern parts of the nation in one thread.
Further, he said the Indian Navy will ensure that no nation suppresses another in the Indo-Pacific region or endangers its strategic autonomy.
“It is a matter of great pride that our Navy is ensuring safe trade and promoting peace and prosperity in the Indian Ocean Region (IOR). Securing free navigation, rules-based world order, anti-piracy and peace and stability in the region are our biggest objectives,” he added.
As part of the ‘Day at Sea’, Singh witnessed the dynamic operations of various ships, submarines and aircraft of ENC, among others. (PTI)
