Overview

• INS Udaygiri and INS Himgiri were commissioned at the Eastern Naval Command in Visakhapatnam.
• Singh called for strong maritime preparedness, citing competing interests across the Indian Ocean Region and parallel challenges to the east and west.
• He said the Navy underpins national economic security because oil and gas supplies rely on secure sea lanes.
• Reiterating a defensive but decisive doctrine, he cited Operation Sindoor as the response to the Pahalgam terror attack and said the operation is paused, not ended.
• The minister emphasized evolving warfare and prioritization of defence R&D and self-reliance, saying the new warships bolster a blue-water Navy capable of distant operations.