New Delhi [India], June 17 (ANI): The Parliamentary Standing Committee on External Affairs held a comprehensive discussion on Tuesday to evaluate India’s Indian Ocean Strategy, with particular attention given to maritime security and the evolving concept of a Blue Water Navy.
Committee Chairman Shashi Tharoor, speaking to reporters after the meeting, clarified that while Operation Sindoor was not formally discussed, several elements related to it surfaced during the deliberations. The high-level meeting was attended by senior representatives from the Ministry of Defence and Ministry of External Affairs, including the Defence Secretary, Secretary (East) in the MEA, and the Vice Chief of the Navy.
Tharoor described the discussion as “outstanding,” emphasizing the active participation of all committee members present. “We had an ongoing subject called India’s Indian Ocean Strategy, which is a foreign policy subject that has important defence dimensions. We also had the Defence Secretary and the Navy present to brief us. The discussions were outstanding. We spent more than two-and-a-half hours in serious conversation on various aspects, which you will see in the report submitted to Parliament,” he said.
He added, “We were blessed to have the Vice Chief of the Navy, the Defence Secretary, and the Secretary East of the Ministry of External Affairs. It was a very thorough discussion. Every single one of the committee members present asked questions. It’s a tremendous sense of involvement in this discussion. We’ll have a good report coming out of this very comprehensive discussion.”
Tharoor further confirmed that the strategic concept of the Blue Water Navy was a key topic, along with India’s broader maritime capabilities. “All of this—Blue Water Navy, our military capacity beyond that—everything was thoroughly discussed,” he noted.
Among the Members of Parliament in attendance were BJP’s Nishikant Dubey, Arun Govil, RPN Singh, and Congress MP KC Venugopal.
This discussion follows the “Second Blue Talks” hosted last month by the Ministry of Earth Sciences (MoES) in collaboration with the embassies of France and Costa Rica. That event highlighted India’s growing diplomatic and strategic engagement in ocean governance.
India’s maritime legacy is deeply embedded in its ancient cultural and historical traditions, with references dating back to the Rig Veda. Archaeological, literary, and artistic evidence points to a longstanding maritime culture that has shaped India’s national identity.
Today, India stands as a formidable maritime force, with a coastline extending over 7,500 km, 13 major ports, and approximately 200 non-major ports. These assets enable India to handle a significant portion of global cargo, with the maritime sector facilitating around 95% of India’s trade volume and 70% of its trade value.
India’s Navy is now recognized as a full-fledged Blue Water Force with a “Green Footprint”—signifying not only global reach but also a commitment to environmental sustainability. This aligns with India’s strategic vision of leveraging its Indian Ocean geography to enhance economic, security, and diplomatic influence. (ANI)
About The Author
