Goa, India — February 21, 2026
Indian Navy Chief Admiral Dinesh Tripathi on Saturday called for stronger unity among Indian Ocean nations to counter growing maritime threats, warning that criminal networks at sea are becoming “more organized, technologically aware, and interconnected.”
He said coordinated multinational operations are essential to produce concrete results against threats such as piracy, illegal migration, and narcotics trafficking.
Call for Action at Maritime Security Summit
Delivering the closing address at the fifth edition of the Goa Maritime Conclave, held at the Naval War College, the Navy chief said the forum has evolved from a dialogue platform into an action-oriented framework.
The biennial conference was organized under the theme: “Common Maritime Security Challenges in the Indian Ocean Region — Progressive Directions of Efforts to Mitigate Dynamic Threats.”
Delegations and naval leaders from 14 countries participated, highlighting the growing regional focus on maritime cooperation.
Illegal Fishing Identified as Major Threat
Highlighting key security concerns, Tripathi described illegal, unreported, and unregulated fishing as one of the most serious maritime threats. He noted that the latest annual report from the Information Fusion Centre – Indian Ocean Region recorded a decline in such incidents over the past two years.
According to him, increased patrols, enhanced monitoring, and stronger enforcement measures have contributed to this improvement. However, continued targeting of high-value marine species and recurring poaching incidents indicate the need for stronger legal frameworks, regional coordination mechanisms, advanced surveillance technology, and community-based interventions.
Recent Naval Events Reinforce Cooperation Push
The Navy chief said the conclave followed a series of major maritime engagements recently hosted in Visakhapatnam, including the International Fleet Review, the multinational naval exercise Exercise Milan, and the chiefs’ conference of the Indian Ocean Naval Symposium.
He suggested that these initiatives collectively demonstrate growing regional commitment to maritime stability and cooperative security.
