Union Defence Minister Rajnath Singh shakes hands with an Indian Army personnel on Octoner 23, 2026. The Indian Navy will host the 2026 edition of the Indo-Pacific Regional Dialogue (IPRD) in New Delhi from November 3 to 5, bringing together maritime practitioners, scientists, academicians, policymakers, and experts from 18 countries to explore cooperation in science, technology, and research.Defence Minister Rajnath Singh is scheduled to deliver the commemorative address on the opening day of the event, which is being held in association with the National Maritime Foundation (NMF), the Navy’s knowledge partner and principal organiser of the dialogue.According to a release by the Defence Ministry on Friday, the three-day conference will focus on the theme ‘Science, Technology, and Academic Cooperation in the Indo-Pacific’.The discussions will seek to identify practical measures to strengthen regional cooperation in maritime research, ocean governance, climate resilience, and emerging technologies, against the backdrop of growing vulnerabilities in maritime supply chains, pressure on marine resources, and threats to critical maritime infrastructure.The annual dialogue is the Indian Navy’s principal international strategic outreach initiative.
It seeks to translate the broad framework of the Indo-Pacific Oceans Initiative (IPOI), announced by Prime Minister Narendra Modi at the East Asia Summit in Bangkok, Thailand, in November 2019, into actionable proposals for regional cooperation. The initiative also aligns with India’s maritime vision of MAHASAGAR (Mutual and Holistic Advancement for Security and Growth Across Regions).The five thematic sessions at IPRD-2026 will cover academic networks, research, and human capital development; maritime situational awareness and protection of critical maritime infrastructure; oceanographic science and climate resilience; collaborative approaches to ocean governance and maritime resilience; and transformative maritime technologies and their dual-use implications.The deliberations will examine avenues for joint research, collaborative technology development, scientific data-sharing and stronger institutional partnerships.
The conference will also look beyond STEM (science, technology, engineering, and mathematics), recognising the role of social sciences, life sciences, and humanities in addressing complex maritime challenges.The opening day will feature a special session, ‘Perspectives from the Flag Bridge’, bringing together former Naval chiefs from India and Sri Lanka, and an ambassadorial interaction titled ‘Sahyog Ka Samvaad’. The programme will also include ministerial and other special addresses.The Defence Ministry release said the dialogue would focus on identifying specific and actionable measures at national, sub-regional and pan-regional levels, which could be pursued through existing bilateral, trilateral and plurilateral mechanisms to strengthen cooperation across the Indo-Pacific.
Published - October 23, 2026 09:36 pm IST