Operation Sindoor was a symbol of India's capability and a message to the world that it is always ready to respond to every challenge, Defence Minister Rajnath Singh said on Thursday.
In an address to the top naval leadership at the Naval Commanders' conference in Delhi, Singh hailed the combat readiness of the Indian Navy and said the world witnessed its strength as it was the deterrent posture of the Navy that forced Pakistan to remain in the harbour or near its coast.
Indian Navy's carrier battle group, submarines and aviation assets were deployed in the northern Arabian Sea in the aftermath of the Pahalgam terror attack.
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The naval forces remained forward deployed with full readiness to strike select targets at sea and on land, including Karachi, during Operation Sindoor.
He described the Indian Navy's presence in the Indian Ocean Region (IOR) as a matter of "comfort for the friendly nations" and "discomfort for those who seek to destabilise the region".
"The IOR has become the centre of contemporary geopolitics. It is no longer passive; it has become an area of competition and cooperation," he said.
The defence minister said the Indian Navy, through its multi-dimensional capabilities, has played a leadership role in the region.
"In the last six months, our ships, submarines and Naval aircraft have been deployed at an unprecedented scale. In addition, our Navy has provided safe passage to approximately 335 merchant vessels, equalling approximately 1.2 million metric tons of cargo and a trade value of $5.6 billion."
The defence minister also underlined the need to advance naval strategy and thinking in sync with the rapidly evolving world.
"We must work together in three areas: capability, people, and partnerships. Capability means technology and strength; people means sailors and their families; and partnerships mean industries, academia and international cooperation," Singh said, adding, "When these three come together, our Navy will emerge as an even more reliable and powerful force."
