India committed to ensuring peace and stability across Indo-Pacific region, says Rajnath Singh

Defence Minister Rajnath Singh on Monday said that no single country can claim ownership over marine resources, stressing that India is committed to ensuring peace and stability across the Indo-Pacific region.

He added that maritime challenges posed by grey-zone threats—including narcotics trafficking, illegal fishing, human trafficking and environmental violations—continue to undermine peace in the region.

Speaking at the commissioning of the Indian Coast Guard Ship (ICGS) ‘Samudra Pratap’, the first of two pollution control vessels built by Goa Shipyard Limited (GSL), Singh said that the responsibility for the protection of marine resources is also shared among nations.


“We believe that marine resources are not the property of any one country, but a shared heritage of humanity. And when the heritage is shared, the responsibility for its protection is also shared. This is why India stands firmly on the world stage today with the principles of peace, stability, and environmental responsibility,” he said.

The minister also applauded the Indian defence ecosystem, saying it now possesses the capability of handling complex manufacturing challenges indigenously, pointing to the 90% indigenous content on the ship he commissioned.

“As multiple capabilities have been integrated into a single platform, the ship will prove to be effective in coastal patrol and strengthen maritime safety. It is a product of the modern approach adopted by the Goa Shipyard Limited to enhance flexibility and readiness to deal with present day maritime challenges,” Singh said.

He added that recent operations and missions have sent a clear message to the country’s adversaries that “if they dare to cast an evil eye on India’s maritime borders or attempt any misadventure, they will be met with a bold and befitting response”.

He also called upon the coast guard to move from a platform-centric force to one that is intelligence-driven and integration-centric. Singh also called for developing specialised career streams such as maritime law enforcement, environmental protection and maritime cyber security.

In a first, the new ship will have two women officers. The minister said it is a matter of pride that women officers are being appointed as pilots, observers, air traffic controllers, logistics officers, and law officers, besides trained for hovercraft operations and being actively deployed in frontline ops.