Indian Navy to review operational readiness, tech integration at Commanders’ Conference in New Delhi
New Delhi, April 12. The first edition of the Indian Navy’s biannual Commanders’ Conference for 2026 will be held from April 14 to 16 at Indian Navy headquarters, Nausena Bhawan, bringing together top naval leadership to assess operational preparedness, capability development and alignment with national security priorities.
The apex-level conference comes at a time of heightened maritime activity in the Indian Ocean Region, with multinational naval deployments amid the ongoing conflict in West Asia. Recent swift deployments by the Indian Navy to secure sea lanes linked to India’s energy supplies will form a key backdrop to the deliberations.
According to a statement issued by the Ministry of Defence, the three-day meet will also revisit operational doctrines, inter-services coordination and technology-driven response systems in the aftermath of Operation Sindoor. The conference will feature addresses by the Chief of Defence Staff (India) and the Ministry of Home Affairs’ Home Secretary, with focused interactions aimed at enhancing jointness and interoperability across services.
Led by the Chief of the Naval Staff, operational commanders and senior leadership will review plans to tackle emerging multi-dimensional challenges in the current geo-strategic environment. Discussions will range from strengthening blue-water capabilities and combat readiness to training, human resource management, sustainable maintenance and operational logistics. Special emphasis will be placed on the effective use of uncrewed systems and the implementation of the Navy’s Artificial Intelligence roadmap for data-driven, seamless operations.
The conference will also examine the Navy’s readiness to fulfil its four primary roles outlined in the Indian Maritime Doctrine, with a focus on sustaining long-duration operations, expanding international partnerships and supporting the Government’s MAHASAGAR (Mutual and Holistic Advancement for Security Across Regions) vision.
Senior commanders are also expected to deliberate on accelerating indigenisation and innovation, while reinforcing the Navy’s aspiration to remain a “preferred security partner” for countries in the Indo-Pacific and the Indian Ocean Region.
