The Naval Commanders' Conference is the highest decision making body
of the navy. It meets annually to deliberate upon major operational
issues with regard to the defence of the nation's maritime interest,
coastal security, defence of national assets at sea, naval strategy,
its own operational and acquisition plans and the course corrections
required to remain relevant with the times as also to maintain synergy
with the other two service.
The conference, this year is being held at the Western Naval Command
Headquarters' at Mumbai from 07 to 09 May 08. The conference would be
inaugurated by Admiral Sureesh Mehta, Chief of the Naval Staff and
would be attended by the highest echelons of the navy from the
Integrated Headquarters at New Delhi, three command headquarters and
two fleets.
Over the last decade, the maritime security environment in the Indian
Ocean Region has become more complex, fluid and significantly more
volatile. Along with the nation's economic success and elevation in
international stature, the nation's regional responsibilities have
also increased. To discharge these, a strong and effective navy is
essential.
In the coming years, the Indian Navy would be called upon to play a
significantly larger role so as to be a regionally relevant force and
be in a position to not only counter any existing and identifiable
threats but also to discharge its responsibilities of maintaining,
safeguarding and furthering our nation's maritime interests including
and disaster relief operations.
To ensure that the navy remains an operationally focused force,
capable of dealing with the challenging environment of the 21st
century, surveillance of the seas around us also real time exchange if
information through network centric operations assumes greater
significance today and these are the primary focus areas of this
year's conference. Further, some major platforms in all three
dimensions of the navy's operation are scheduled for induction and
integration of these platforms and weapon systems into the overall
concept of operations assumes significance and the naval commanders
would deliberate on these issue as well.
NKS/AK
