Visakhapatnam (Andhra Pradesh) [India], July 11 : Defence Minister Rajnath Singh on Saturday highlighted the strategic evolution of India's maritime forces amid the West Asia crisis and stated that the Indian Navy has successfully emerged as a robust guardian of the nation's financial stability, safely safeguarding essential cargo worth over ₹9,000 crore via "Operation Urja Suraksha."
The Defence Minister made the remarks while addressing the official commissioning ceremony of the stealth frigate INS Mahendragiri at the Naval Dockyard in Visakhapatnam. He emphasised that recent volatile global events have proven that a responsive and heavily armed navy is an absolute necessity for protecting sovereign financial interests.
"Recent events have once again proven how essential a capable and responsive Navy is for any nation. After the conflict began in West Asia, the Indian Navy, through 'Operation Urja Suraksha', safely escorted 18 merchant vessels carrying essential cargo worth more than Rs 9,000 crore. In other words, our Navy has emerged not only as a fighting force but also as a strong protector of India's economic interests," Rajnath Singh said.
Detailing the structural parameters of the newly inducted warship, Singh noted that INS Mahendragiri dramatically expands India's blue-water endurance and surveillance capabilities far beyond traditional littoral bounds.
"Most importantly, it is a 'blue-water' ship, meaning it can protect India's maritime interests not just near the coast, but far away, in the deep oceans, for weeks on end. In other words, our country India has, until now, determined its direction through the sea; but now our country is also developing the capability to determine the direction of the sea," he added.
The Minister re-anchored India's defensive posturing in the Indo-Pacific region around Prime Minister Narendra Modi's maritime vision of "MAHA SAGAR" (Mutual and Holistic Advancement for Security and Growth Across Regions), noting that New Delhi acts as a stabilising anchor for regional allies.
"Our Navy has repeatedly proven that we are truly the most trusted partner in this entire Indo-Pacific region. In today's times, the eyes of the entire world are on the Indo-Pacific region, and India's role in this region is very significant... We desire security and development for everyone in this region. India has emerged as a 'net security provider' and a trusted partner across the entire Indo-Pacific region," the Minister stated.
Singh added that whether the task involves executing Humanitarian Assistance and Disaster Relief (HADR) missions during climatic shocks, cracking down on sea bandits via anti-piracy sweeps, or executing high-risk evacuations of foreign nationals from conflict theatres, the Navy has repeatedly proven its credentials as both the "First Responder" and the "Preferred Security Partner."
Reflecting on the integration of next-generation tech with heavy conventional firepower, the Defence Minister pointed to "Operation Sindoor" as the definitive standard of India's combat readiness. "Our armed forces demonstrated during that operation that India is now fully capable not only of defending itself but also, when necessary, of delivering decisive responses and annihilating enemies," Singh asserted.
The commissioning of INS Mahendragiri, marking the completion of the advanced Project 17A frigate class, is expected to provide the Eastern Naval Command with decisive tactical leverage to secure critical global maritime chokepoints and keep trade lanes open.