New Delhi [India], October 28 (ANI): Navy chief Admiral Dinesh K Tripathi said that the Red Sea crisis showed that a single maritime chokepoint can send ripples through global freight indices, insurance premiums, and food prices.

Addressing the Indo-Pacific Regional Dialogue (IPRD), Tripathi said that illegal, unreported, and unregulated fishing; piracy; arms and narcotics trafficking; human smuggling are issues faced in maritime surroundings.

'According to a recent report, global C1 trade growth is projected to stall at 0.5 per cent in 2025, a sharp drop from 2.2 per cent in 2024. The Red Sea crisis has demonstrated how a single maritime chokepoint can ripple through global freight indices, insurance premiums, and food prices. The seas are witnessing a surge in activities that blur the lines between competition, crime, and conflict. Illegal, unreported, and unregulated fishing; piracy; arms and narcotics trafficking; human smuggling; etc., have emerged as major maritime stressors. According to the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organisation, fishing activities are responsible for the loss of 11 to 26 million tons of fish every year, which is estimated to have been valued between $10 and $23 billion,' he said.

Admiral Tripathi said that pollution and extreme weather events have added to their challenges.

'At the same time, smuggling networks are increasingly exploiting ungoverned maritime spaces... Extreme weather and marine pollution have added a new dimension to transnational maritime challenges, threatening both lives and livestock, especially for small island developing states,' he added.

Tripathi added that disruptive technologies propel one to think that maritime field is dynamic.

'Disruptive technologies have dissolved the traditional barriers of scale and sophistication... It also brings vulnerability to cyber intrusions, signal spoofing, and persistent surveillance... Together, these currents make the maritime domain dynamic, reminding us that maritime security and growth are not two parallel tracks but twin propellers that drive our collective voyage towards peace and prosperity,' he said.

Tripathi highlighted how India has also expanded its maritime vision to adapt to the challenges.

'As the seas grow more interconnected and indispensable, so too must our strategies. India has elevated its maritime vision from SAGAR (Security and Growth for All in the Region) to MAHASAGAR, or mutual and holistic advancement for security and growth across regions. This evolution signifies both expansion of scope and depth of purpose. As the principal manifestation of India's maritime power, the Indian Navy remains at the forefront of operationalising our maritime vision,' he said.

Tripathi said that Indo-Pacific requires respect towards local realities while reinforcing shared objectives.

'The wider Indo-Pacific, therefore, demands regional and subregional approaches that respect local realities while reinforcing shared objectives. Holistic security must reconcile inclusivity and individuality, enabling every nation, large or small, to contribute according to its capacity, while drawing strength from collective purpose,' he said.

Tripathi said that they intend to host about 50 International Liaison Officers by 2028.

'Our aim is to enhance the capacity to host about 50 ILOs by 2028. We need to craft region-specific initiatives and solutions tailored to meet the specific needs of the region or a country. Capacity building, enable parlance, capacity is tangible, expressed in terms of hulls, airframes, ports, logistics chains, and industrial ecosystems. It represents a nation's ability to remain present and persistent at sea,' he said.

'Another critical aspect of capacity building is interoperable communication and information-sharing architecture. The Indian Navy has designed the NISHAR MITRA terminals for sharing intelligence and information, which could be gainfully utilised for seamless communication between friends and partners,' he added.

Tripathi further said that capabilities must be employed through proper doctrine, training and resilience.

'Capability resides not merely in assets, but in how they are employed through doctrine, training, interoperability, and resilience... Enhancing capability demands a shift from platform-centric to purpose-centric thinking. It calls for doctrines that anticipate hybrid threats, training that fosters initiative and adaptability, and interoperability that allows navies to operate as one in moments that matter. The successful month-long deployment of an Indian naval ship, the Indian Ocean ship, Sagar to the southwest IOR, with a mixed crew of about 44 personnel from nine Indian Ocean region countries in April and May of this year, is a pioneering endeavour in this direction,' he said.

The Indian Navy, in partnership with the National Maritime Foundation (NMF), is hosting the 2025 edition of the Indo-Pacific Regional Dialogue (IPRD) at the Manekshaw Centre in the national capital, from October 28 to 30.

This flagship event, themed 'Promoting Holistic Maritime Security and Growth: Regional Capacity-Building and Capability-Enhancement', brings together strategic leaders, policymakers, diplomats, and maritime experts from across the Indo-Pacific and beyond to tackle pressing security and development issues in an integrated maritime region.

In its seventh successive iteration, the IPRD has become the Indian Navy's apex-level international conference, serving as the principal expression of India's strategic outreach to promote peace, security, and sustainable growth in the maritime expanse of the Indo-Pacific. Guided by the Indo-Pacific Oceans Initiative (IPOI), first articulated by Prime Minister Narendra Modi at the 14th East Asia Summit in 2019, the IPRD 2025 builds on previous accomplishments by focusing on concrete, actionable measures for regional growth, holistic maritime security, and multilateral cooperation. (ANI)