Indian Ocean more contested, and important than ever before: Vice Admiral Swaminathan

The Indian Ocean is more contested, more watched, and more consequential than ever before, the Flag Officer Commanding in Chief of the Western Naval Command, Vice Admiral Krishna Swaminathan, stated on Monday (May 11, 2026).

He observed that the Indian Ocean has always been India’s arena, and highlighted the growing significance of the region.

“Today, as the Indo-Pacific emerges as the defining theatre of 21st century geopolitics, the Indian Ocean is becoming even more contested, more watched and more consequential than at any point in living memory,” he said. He was speaking at a conference on ‘Atmanirbharta in Defence – Opportunities for MSMEs’ organised by Bramha Research Foundation and the Indian Navy.

Highlighting the critical role played by the Indian Navy in securing commercial sea routes and delivering humanitarian assistance, he said, “This is not a peacetime ceremonial force but an operational navy deployed continuously across a vast and complex maritime theatre.” He spoke in detail about the vast opportunities for micro, small, and medium industries in the manufacture of defence vessels, ship repair, and refitting.

“Indigenous manufacturing has now become the gold standard of government procurement,” he said, while speaking of the changing policy landscape devised to boost atmanirbharta.

Vice Admiral Atul Anand, Additional Secretary of the Department of Military Affairs, said that apart from premier educational institutions like the Indian Institutes of Technology, many local universities too were participating actively in defence sector research and development.