Maritime security in Indo-Pacific becoming 'dynaxic': Admiral Tripathi

Chief of Naval Staff Admiral Dinesh K Tripathi on Tuesday said that maritime security in the Indo-Pacific was becoming increasingly “dynaxic” – a blend of both dynamic and complex.

Speaking at the 7th edition of the Indo-Pacific Regional Dialogue at the Manekshaw Centre here, he urged regional partners to adopt a cooperative and holistic approach to safeguard peace and prosperity across the oceans.

“In today's turbulent era, maritime security can no longer be seen through the narrow prism of threat containment,” Admiral Tripathi said, describing the Indo-Pacific as a region where the “seas are seeing a surge in activities that blur the lines between competition, crime and conflict.”

He outlined three major challenges shaping the maritime domain, including commercial disruption, transnational turbulence and technological acceleration.

According to the Navy Chief, the Navy plans to increase the number of International Liaison Officers at the Information Fusion Centre–Indian Ocean Region (IFC-IOR), a shared maritime information hub, from the current 15 to 50 by 2028, to improve maritime surveillance and response across the region.

“Maritime security and economic growth are not parallel tracks but two propellers that drive the collective voyage toward peace and prosperity,” Admiral Tripathi emphasised, adding that the global slowdown in seaborne trade, the rise of illegal and unregulated fishing and increased cyber and electronic interference are factors that demand collective attention and regional solutions.

He expressed optimism that this dialogue would pave the way for greater collaboration and shared understanding among maritime nations, helping them “sail beyond the turbulence of the present into the tranquillity of a secure and sustainable maritime future."