Rajnath Singh urges regional partners to diversify supply chains and share maritime technology

Defence Minister Rajnath Singh has called on Indo-Pacific nations to make their mutual dependence on the seas more secure by diversifying supply chains, building reliable maritime infrastructure and cooperating more closely.

He was giving the commemorative address on 4 November at the Indo-Pacific Regional Dialogue (IPRD), the Indian Navy's annual apex international strategic conference, held in New Delhi.

A strained maritime environment

Singh described the oceans as bridges rather than barriers, but said some actors seek to exploit their importance "for narrow unilateral gains". "The global maritime security environment is strained by deliberate trade disruptions," he said, citing "blatant challenges to the freedom of navigation and the weaponisation of narrow maritime passages".

Globalisation cannot be abandoned after every disruption, he said; the aim must be to make interdependence more secure. He listed non-traditional threats too: piracy, trafficking, illegal fishing, cyber-attacks and natural disasters.

Technology for all

On artificial intelligence, autonomous systems and new sensors, Singh said technology "by itself, is not the answer". He warned it must not become "another source of inequality among nations", and said the most useful technology "is the one that solves a real problem", not necessarily the costliest. He called for cooperation in research, education, innovation and capacity building.

India's approach

Singh pointed to India's investments in ports and connectivity, Sagarmala, coastal economic activity and the maritime industrial base, and called the Maritime Amrit Kaal Vision 2047 the national blueprint. He also cited the MAHASAGAR vision and the Indo-Pacific Oceans Initiative announced by Modi in 2019.

He asked participants to move from identifying challenges to practical action, so that ideas become "partnerships, projects and measurable outcomes".

Photos

---

Source: official release by the Ministry of Defence, issued through the Press Information Bureau, Government of India (04 NOV 2026 5:53PM by PIB Delhi). Read the full official text: Supply chain diversification & greater regional cooperation are key to stronger maritime inter-dependence amid strained security environment: Raksha Mantri at Indo-Pacific Regional Dialogue 2026.