Amid heightened tensions in West Asia, Navy chief Admiral Krishna Swaminathan on Monday said the world is witnessing a period of “significant strategic churn”, with the maritime environment becoming increasingly contested and threat perceptions evolving rapidly.
Speaking after commissioning the Indian Navy’s deep-sea diving vessel INS Nipun in Mumbai, Swaminathan said emerging threats were taking newer forms, adding to the complexity of the maritime security environment.
“We are living today through a period of significant strategic churn; the maritime environment is becoming increasingly contested,” he said.
INS Nipun is equipped to support diving operations at depths of up to 300 metres and has the capability to undertake rapid submarine rescue missions. The vessel can also be deployed for disaster relief and humanitarian assistance operations.
The Navy chief said the constantly changing threat landscape was presenting newer challenges that required enhanced preparedness and capabilities.
(With inputs from PTI)