Defence Minister Rajnath Singh on Wednesday reaffirmed the government’s commitment to enhancing national security and achieving self-reliance in the defence sector. Speaking at the commissioning ceremony for three advanced naval assets—INS Surat, INS Nilgiri, and INS Vaghsheer—Singh outlined India’s focus on modernizing its armed forces and implementing defence reforms by 2025.
“Improving India’s security system and achieving self-reliance in the defence sector has been the priority of the Prime Minister. The continuous strengthening of our defence sector is a testament to this. The commissioning of INS Surat, INS Nilgiri, and INS Vaghsheer together is not only a milestone for the Indian Navy but also a demonstration of India’s power in the Indian Ocean Region under your leadership,” Singh said.
The Defence Minister said that the Indian Ocean Region has become increasingly important in light of global developments. He pointed out that much of the world’s trade traverses this region, which has also become a hub of international power dynamics and security concerns due to activities like illegal fishing, drug smuggling, and terrorism.
He continued to emphasized that India’s geostrategic and economic interests in the Indian Ocean Region have been long-standing.
“Whether it’s trade with Rome over 2,000 years ago or trade with Southeast Asian countries, India’s trade today is 95 per cent connected to this region. In such a scenario, a strong Indian Navy presence in the Indian Ocean Region becomes our top priority,” Singh said. “The commissioning of these ships today will be another milestone in our journey toward achieving this goal.”
Singh said that over 75% of the materials used in INS Surat and INS Nilgiri were developed domestically, marking progress in India’s efforts toward self-reliance in defence.
“We are advancing modernization efforts by producing large platforms domestically while also focusing on systems that deliver high impact at lower costs,” he added.
The Ministry of Defence has declared 2025 as the “Year of Reforms,” Singh announced. He said the initiative aims to implement reforms across the Ministry and the armed forces to bolster the defence sector further. “By the end of the year, we will have introduced several reforms in the security sector to help India’s defence sector reach new levels,” Singh added.
INS Surat, the fourth ship in the P15B Guided Missile Destroyer Project, is among the most advanced destroyers globally. INS Nilgiri, from the P17A Stealth Frigate Project, incorporates cutting-edge design and stealth features. INS Vaghsheer, built under the P75 Scorpene Submarine Project in collaboration with France’s Naval Group, reflects India’s growing capabilities in submarine construction.
