At a seminar organised by the Indian Navy during Aero India, in Bengaluru, Minister of State for Defence, Sanjay Seth, stated that India’s strategic position in the Indian Ocean has positioned the country to play a pivotal role in ensuring peaceful coexistence and regional security.
The seminar having the theme ‘Transition to Aatmanirbhar Indian Naval Aviation – 2047 and its Associated Ecosystem,’ also saw the unveiling of the vision document titled ‘Indian Naval Aviation – Technological Roadmap 2047’.
In his address, Seth emphasised the importance of a credible defence force supported by a robust industrial base, which has become crucial in today’s world, as global conflicts have highlighted the need for indigenous capabilities.
He urged all stakeholders to remain committed towards providing innovative, indigenous, and long-lasting solutions to the complex challenges faced by India’s defence sector through a collaborative approach.
The minister also highlighted the Indian Navy’s transformation in recent years, with India emerging as an economic powerhouse and the Indian Navy ranking among the world’s top advanced navies. He mentioned the significant progress in India’s naval strength, including the construction of over 60 warships in Indian shipyards and the commissioning of over 39 indigenous ships and submarines in the past few years, as a testament to India’s self-reliance.
In his address, the Naval Chief, Admiral Dinesh K Tripathi, stressed on the evolving nature of warfare, particularly in the air domain, and the continuous adoption of advanced technologies in aviation. He highlighted Aero India’s role as a common platform that brings together stakeholders, including R&D establishments, industry, MSMEs, startups, and academia, to share ideas and gain first-hand experience with cutting-edge technologies and systems.
Admiral Tripathi also emphasised on the leap in the Indian Navy’s aviation capabilities, which are moving beyond traditional Intelligence, Surveillance, and Reconnaissance (ISR) roles to incorporate technology-intensive tasks such as communication relay, jamming, scientific research, and search and rescue (SAR).
He further outlined the Navy’s commitment towards achieving 100 percent self-reliance by 2047.