New Delhi [India], October 29 (ANI): Deputy Chief of Naval Staff, Vice Admiral Tarun Sobti, stated that this edition of Indo-Pacific Regional Dialogue is focused on capacity building and capability enhancement.

Speaking with ANI, Vice Admiral Tarun Sobti said, 'In this edition of Indo-Pacific Regional Dialogue, we are focusing on Capacity Building and Capability Enhancement. As far as capacity is concerned, it is the tools we can provide to nations which need assistance. Capability enhancements are to train the human resources to use these tools to meet maritime challenges.'

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.

Earlier in the day, Navy chief Admiral Dinesh K Tripathi delivered a special address at the dialogue.

Highlighting challenges such as commercial disruptions, transnational crimes, and technological vulnerabilities, CNS called for collective, context-sensitive solutions.

Chief of Naval Staff stressed that maritime security and prosperity are intertwined and urged sustained dialogue and cooperation to ensure peace, stability, and growth across the Indo-Pacific.

CNS expressed confidence that IPRD-2025, steered in coordination with the National Maritime Foundation, would generate new ideas & partnerships for a secure and sustainable maritime future.

CNS said that illegal, unreported, and unregulated fishing, piracy, arms and narcotics trafficking, and 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 Dinesh K Tripathi added that disruptive technologies make one think the 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.

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)