- 18 minutes ago
Amid rising tensions in the Strait of Hormuz, Chief of Naval Staff Admiral Dinesh K Tripathi highlighted concerns over disruptions at critical global shipping routes.Speaking at the International Conference on India-Japan Cooperation in the Indo-Pacific, the Naval Chief stressed that any disruption at maritime chokepoints like Hormuz poses serious risks for energy-importing nations such as India and Japan.The remarks come after the Indian Navy escorted LPG vessels to ensure safe passage amid escalating regional tensions.The Strait of Hormuz remains one of the world’s most critical oil and gas transit routes, making security in the region vital for global energy supply.
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00:00I was commissioned into the Indian Navy in 1985 and a lot of young people are sitting here.
00:06And 1985 means nothing to you actually. It was a long time ago, so it is 41 years back.
00:15Yeah, time flies. So just make sure that you make use of every single day.
00:21Having said that, I am also aware that I was to come in the morning, for the morning session, but
00:32some pressing commitments precluded that.
00:35But once I did a commitment, then, you know, dash, dash, dash.
00:39And therefore, I had to come for the valedictory function.
00:45I am privileged to be standing here.
00:48I am grateful to the President of India Foundation, Dr. Ramadavji.
00:58His Excellency, Ambassador of Japan, and, of course, our Secretary East Former, Shri Jadiv Majumdarji.
01:09And more importantly, all of you, ladies and gentlemen, for being here, I am aware it has been a long
01:15day.
01:16And you are just waiting for me to finish and say thank you, and then you can go home or
01:20have a cup of tea.
01:22So, but just wait with me for a few minutes, when it has been a few hours, I am sure.
01:28So give me that. Thank you very much.
01:31As I said, it is a pleasure to be standing here and to speak on this very, very important topic
01:39of Indo-Japan cooperation in the Indo-Pacific.
01:43And this is especially so because we will be celebrating the 75th year of our diplomatic relationship next year.
01:51And for all the young people who are the millennials, who are born in the 21st century,
01:58actually the relationship has just taken off in this 21st century.
02:04And courtesy of the two great leaders, I don't have to name them,
02:08I am sure the Ambassador is aware of his leader and we are aware of our leader.
02:13Many of the things which has been discussed today during the course
02:17and what even I will be discussing have been made possible largely because of the personal bond
02:25which was there between the two leaders and therefore it percolated to the population of two countries.
02:33I was in Japan last year and it was wonderful to interact with all strata of leadership
02:40as also see what Japan has done.
02:43Just to give you one trivia, Japan has been running the bullet trains since 1961 or 1962
02:53and fingers firmly crossed they have had 0% of accidents still now.
03:03Touch wood.
03:04So that is the level of technology and that is the level of resilience
03:10which is there in the system and certainly we are, we have to learn
03:16and that is how these, you know, events like this certainly help in that regard.
03:22Also, I am sure you are aware, all those who have travelled to Japan,
03:27that if a train is to arrive at a station at 0532, it will come at 0532,
03:33give or take few seconds.
03:35So that is the kind of importance which is there, of time which is there in that society.
03:42It was eye-opening for me certainly and I learned a lot.
03:47As I said, I want to thank Dr. Ramadharji for inviting me for this important deliberation
03:56and my compliments to the India Foundation for arranging this.
04:00I am aware that you keep doing many of these at various places.
04:03I have been getting invited for a certain number of, you know, such functions
04:10but because of the nature of the job and the constant travel, etc.,
04:15I have not been able to but thank God I am here today.
04:21I have also been told that over the course of today's conference,
04:26the deliberations have reflected the complexities and uncertainties
04:31of the multiplex world that we inhabit today.
04:39And what that means is the one that is undergoing a profound strategic inflection.
04:46In fact, I call it a strategic inflection decade.
04:51You give and take two years from 2020,
04:54whether it is pre-COVID, with post-COVID,
04:57the 10 years, we may be in the midst of that inflection decade
05:01and a lot of things are happening.
05:04I am sure all of you are aware.
05:06Some of it must have been discussed.
05:08Some was, I think, brought out by His Excellency.
05:12Where the long-stablished Westphalian values and norms face erosion
05:22and transactionalism is challenging the assumptions
05:26that predicated strategic behavior.
05:30In this context, as most of you had discussed during the course,
05:39I have been told the Indo-Pacific has emerged as the principal theater
05:43of what analysts call normative contestation,
05:48where the established norms and orders are being challenged
05:53due to competing visions and interests.
05:56As a result, the contours of the entire spectrum,
06:00that is competition, that is cooperation, that is even conflict,
06:06are undergoing significant shifts.
06:11I am told that many of the speakers and panelists
06:14did talk about critical minerals and rare earths
06:18also during the course of discussion.
06:20And it is increasingly clear that the competition today
06:26is no longer limited to the traditional resources for oil and energy,
06:32but resources that underpin future economic growth,
06:35and which goes even up to the seabed.
06:39As a result, we are seeing a sharp rise in marine survey activity
06:45and deep-sea research within the region.
06:50Increasingly, vessels engaged in these operations
06:55often opt to go dark,
06:58with AIS switched off or spoofed or manipulated,
07:03and intrude into littoral EZs or sensitive maritime zones,
07:10violating established rules and norms.
07:14These are indeed the emerging flashpoints in the region.
07:19Beyond resources, the region is witnessing intense competition for information.
07:27Recent disruptions in the Red Sea impacted up to 25% of Asia-Europe data flow,
07:39highlighting the fragility of the digital commons,
07:44where undersea cables and associated infrastructure
07:47have become critical choke points,
07:51that is rivaling the traditional maritime choke points,
07:54which we are now seeing, hearing, watching every single day.
07:59Yet, even as competition intensifies,
08:03cooperation within the Indo-Pacific is also adapting.
08:07The cooperation in the region till now was mainly anchored
08:11anchored in a dense and evolving network of multi-lateral constructs,
08:17such as ASEAN,
08:21such as the Western Pacific Naval Symposium,
08:27and, of course, the Indian Ocean Rim Association,
08:31amongst many others.
08:34However, it was pointed out, I believe,
08:36during one of the deliberations today,
08:39that cooperation cannot be judged
08:41by the strength of language alone,
08:45but by their collective action.
08:47And as a result,
08:49we are seeing the rise of mini-lateralism
08:53within broader multilateral frameworks,
08:57through flexible arrangements
08:59that bring together like-minded states
09:02around specific sub-regional and local problems,
09:06rather than having rigid blocks.
09:10Maritime military cooperation in the region too
09:13is undergoing a structural shift
09:15from episodic engagement
09:17to persistent presence
09:19by regional navies
09:21as well as extra-regional navies.
09:25The panel discussion
09:28reiterated
09:28that the capability
09:30brought by the cooperative engagement
09:32between the navies
09:33would remain critical
09:35to ensuring freedom of navigation
09:38and adherence to rules in the region.
09:41At the same time,
09:43increasing military geometry
09:45in the region
09:47also increases
09:47the risk of miscalculation
09:51escalating into a conflict,
09:53reinforcing
09:54what Clausewitz
09:55said that
09:57enduring in sight
09:58that the war is,
09:59above all,
10:01a realm of fog,
10:02friction,
10:03and uncertainty.
10:05Now add to this
10:06another complexity
10:08which stood out
10:09during the deliberations
10:11to the day
10:12of modern technology
10:14lowering the threshold
10:16for disruption.
10:18Drones,
10:19uncrewed systems,
10:20and maneuvering mines,
10:23etc.,
10:24now threaten
10:25critical choke points
10:27such as
10:28the states of Hormuz
10:30even without
10:31a formal announcement
10:32of blockade.
10:34For energy-importing nations
10:37like Japan and India
10:38which import
10:40about 95%
10:42and 80% plus
10:44of our energy
10:45respectively,
10:46through these
10:47global commons,
10:48the fallout
10:50of any such
10:51disruption
10:51is both
10:52immediate
10:52and far-reaching
10:53and which
10:54we are witnessing
10:55as we speak.
10:57Beyond kinetic effects,
11:00non-kinetic threats
11:01such as
11:02maritime cyber attacks
11:03have doubled
11:05in 2025.
11:07Further,
11:09things like
11:10GPS spoofing
11:11and denial
11:12of satellite services
11:13have caused
11:14vessels
11:14to even run
11:16aground
11:16and disrupted
11:18commercial operations
11:20without a single
11:20shot being fired.
11:22Taken together,
11:24these shifting
11:25contours of
11:26competition,
11:28cooperation,
11:28and conflict
11:29underscore that
11:31the Indo-Pacific
11:32remains the
11:33world's most
11:34vibrant
11:34yet volatile
11:37theater.
11:38As one of the
11:39panel discussions
11:40brought out
11:41why the
11:42agencies such as
11:43the United Nations
11:44may have become
11:45the last
11:45port of call
11:46in crisis,
11:49I still don't
11:50believe.
11:52UNCLOS
11:52will continue
11:54to provide
11:54a foundational
11:56framework
11:56for predictable
11:58rule-based
11:58behavior at sea.
12:00Similarly,
12:01the enduring
12:02vision of
12:03free and
12:04open Indo-Pacific
12:06and
12:07Mahasagar
12:08continue to
12:09guide cooperation
12:10and shaping
12:11behavior across
12:12the region
12:13and even
12:14beyond.
12:14So there
12:15is hope.
12:16Guided by
12:17these visions,
12:18our two
12:18maritime nations,
12:19India and
12:19Japan,
12:21have been at
12:21the forefront,
12:23literally and
12:24figuratively,
12:25at the forefront
12:26of promoting
12:27security and
12:29stability at sea,
12:31not only by
12:32their shared
12:34intent,
12:34but increasingly
12:36by shared
12:37action.
12:39As
12:39Excellency
12:42Mr.
12:43Ono Kitchi
12:43also called
12:44the two
12:44nations,
12:45I think,
12:45in the
12:45morning,
12:46action-oriented
12:47partners,
12:49that is,
12:51I fully
12:52conquer with
12:52that.
12:54Such words
12:55have found
12:56operational
12:57convergence
12:58in the
12:59Gulf of
12:59Hayden
13:00and
13:01adjoining
13:02waters,
13:03where our
13:03navies have
13:04operated for
13:04more than
13:0515 years
13:06together.
13:09Our
13:09joint
13:10exercises,
13:11such as
13:11Malabar,
13:13Gimex,
13:13which we have
13:14known,
13:14named Gimex,
13:16and Milan
13:18in the
13:19maritime domain,
13:20as well as
13:20Dharma
13:20Guardian on
13:21land,
13:23and Veer
13:23Guardian and
13:24Shinyu,
13:25Matri in the
13:26air domain,
13:27have been
13:28consistently
13:28expanding in
13:29both scale
13:31and sophistication
13:32to address
13:34challenges across
13:34the spectrum
13:35of operations.
13:37We are also
13:38working together
13:39to further
13:39strengthen
13:40information-sharing
13:41arrangements to
13:43enhance
13:43maritime domain
13:44awareness across
13:45the Indo-Pacific.
13:46These combined
13:48efforts are
13:49reinforced through
13:51platforms such
13:52as the
13:52Indo-Indian
13:54Ocean Naval
13:55Symposium,
13:55that is IONS,
13:56Indo-Pacific
13:58Platform for
13:59Maritime
13:59Domain
14:00Awareness,
14:00that is IPMDA,
14:02and our
14:04own IFCIOR,
14:06which contribute
14:06directly to
14:08maritime security,
14:09capacity building,
14:10HADR,
14:11and the
14:12promotion of
14:12a rule-based
14:13order at sea.
14:15Not
14:15standing these
14:16existing
14:17convergences,
14:19as Dr.
14:20Ram Madhau
14:20said during
14:21his inaugural
14:22address,
14:22that taking
14:24this partnership
14:24forward requires
14:26a continuous
14:27rethinking of
14:29approaches,
14:30aligned with
14:31the evolving
14:31realities of
14:32the Indo-Pacific.
14:34In that
14:35context,
14:36today's
14:37deliberations have
14:38indeed thrown
14:39forward multiple
14:40lines of
14:42efforts of
14:43extreme
14:43relevance.
14:45One
14:46constant theme
14:48seemed to have
14:49stood out in
14:51these recommendations
14:52is that the
14:53real strength
14:53of our
14:54partnership and
14:55future
14:56convergence may
14:57lie in what
14:59they call
14:59complementarity,
15:02rooted in the
15:03enduring logic
15:04by the author
15:06Adam Smith,
15:08that distinct
15:08capabilities,
15:09when aligned,
15:11create the
15:11greater collective
15:12strength.
15:15We, India,
15:16with nearly
15:172.5 million
15:18STEM graduates
15:19added annually,
15:21and one of
15:22the world's
15:23fastest-growing
15:24startup ecosystem
15:25brings scale,
15:28brings talent,
15:29and brings
15:30market depth.
15:32On the other
15:33hand, Japan,
15:35with its global
15:36leadership in
15:37high-tech
15:38manufacturing,
15:39precision
15:40engineering,
15:41and capital
15:42investment,
15:43brings technological
15:45depth, quality,
15:46and experience.
15:47together,
15:49these complementarities
15:51could provide
15:53a powerful
15:54foundation to
15:56shape maritime
15:56capability and
15:58resilience across
15:59the Indo-Pacific,
16:01along three clear
16:03lines of effort.
16:04First is the
16:05industrial cooperation
16:06and resilience.
16:08The deliberations
16:09today pointed out
16:10that both sides
16:12need to enhance
16:15further their
16:16industrial engagement
16:17towards economic
16:18security,
16:19resilient supply
16:20lines, and
16:22cooperation in
16:23critical minerals.
16:24Within this
16:25framework,
16:27India's push for
16:28adh-nirbharta and
16:29defense manufacturing,
16:31combined with
16:32Japan's expertise
16:33in high-quality
16:34shipbuilding and
16:36system instigation,
16:37opens avenues for
16:39co-development and
16:41co-production across
16:42naval and
16:44commercial maritime
16:45scenes.
16:48As Ambassador
16:49Kechi also
16:50mentioned,
16:51co-development of
16:53the advanced
16:54unicorn mast for
16:56our Navy is a
16:58step in the right
16:59direction.
17:00Further
17:01opportunity lies
17:02in taking such
17:03collaboration into
17:04critical domains
17:04such as marine
17:06propulsion, advanced
17:08weapons, and
17:09next-generation
17:10sensors.
17:12Second is the
17:13emerging technologies
17:14which have been
17:16widely spoken about.
17:18Collaboration in
17:19areas such as
17:20autonomous systems,
17:22AI, and
17:24quantum technologies
17:25should not only
17:26enhance operational
17:27effectiveness, but
17:29must also focus
17:30on positioning
17:32responsible nations
17:33such as India and
17:34Japan as key
17:36stakeholders in
17:39shaping norms and
17:40governance frameworks
17:41in these domains.
17:43And third is
17:45strengthening the
17:46expansion and
17:48resilience of
17:49infrastructure.
17:50As the
17:51deliberation suggested,
17:53there exists a
17:54significant scope for
17:56enhancing cooperation
17:56in the field of
17:58connectivity across
17:59both physical and
18:01digital domains.
18:01in the physical
18:03realm, this
18:05includes maritime
18:06ports, transport
18:08corridors, and
18:09climate-resilient
18:10infrastructure.
18:12At the same time,
18:13both sides can
18:14work together to
18:15strengthen the
18:16protection of
18:19critical undersea
18:20infrastructure and
18:22enhance the
18:22cyber-resilience of
18:24the maritime sector,
18:26not only for the
18:27two nations, but
18:28also for all in the
18:30region.
18:31So, ladies
18:32gentlemen, to
18:34conclude, as
18:36they say in
18:36Japan,
18:46which for all of
18:48us means the
18:49future is built
18:51together.
18:53This very closely
18:55resonates with our
18:57own Indian ethos of
18:58Vasudeva Kutumukam,
19:00that is, the
19:00word is one
19:01family.
19:02I am certain that
19:03India and Japan,
19:04our partnership will
19:06grow by leaps and
19:07bounds in the years
19:09to come, becoming a
19:10centerpiece of
19:11promoting stability and
19:13security in the
19:14Indo-Pacific.
19:15I have exercised with
19:16the Japanese Navy.
19:18I have been to
19:19Japan.
19:20I have hosted
19:20Japanese personnel when
19:22I was wherever,
19:24whichever capacity.
19:24So, I am aware of
19:26the avenues and
19:28opportunities which
19:29are there, and I
19:30have no doubt that
19:32the Indo-Japanese
19:32partnership is going
19:34to just go up to
19:35several layers up.
19:37With this, I would
19:39once again like to
19:40thank Dr. Ram
19:41Mathurji and the
19:43India Foundation for
19:45giving me this
19:46opportunity.
19:48Jai Hind.
19:50Arigato.
19:51Gozai Maso.
19:54Gozai Maso.
19:55Gozai Maso.
19:56Gozai Maso.
19:57Can't you
19:57You have a
19:58Be careful.
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