The Naval Commanders Conference begins at Nausena Bhawan in New Delhi on Tuesday and runs until Thursday, bringing the Indian Navy's senior leadership together for three days.

This is the second edition of 2026. The Navy holds it twice a year and calls it its apex forum.

What the Naval Commanders Conference is for

The conference gives senior naval leaders, including Operational and Area Commanders posted outside the capital, a platform to review operational preparedness at the military-strategic level. They also engage senior government functionaries through an institutionalised mechanism, which gives the exchange between the Navy and the government a regular place in the calendar.

Opening day with the Defence Minister and the chiefs

The Defence Minister will address the conference on Tuesday, sharing his vision on national maritime perspectives and the expectations from the Navy.

The Chief of the Defence Staff and the Chief of the Army Staff will also interact with the naval commanders, with the aim of fostering tri-services synergy and integration across the three services.

Energy security and Operation Urja Suraksha

Energy security is a stated theme, with conflicts continuing in West Asia. The Navy says the conference will highlight its contribution to safeguarding India's maritime interests.

According to the Navy, its conduct of the ongoing Operation Urja Suraksha, along with its emergence as a credible maritime force, strengthens its stature as a Preferred Security Partner in the Indian Ocean Region and beyond.

What the commanders will review

On Wednesday and Thursday, the Chief of the Naval Staff and the Commanders-in-Chief will review the key focus areas: operations, materiel, logistics, human resources and training.

AI, data and uncrewed systems

The induction of niche technologies is on the agenda. These include artificial intelligence, Big Data Analysis, autonomous and uncrewed systems, and cyber operations. The aim, the Navy says, is to adopt modern warfighting concepts faster and to speed up technology absorption across the force.

The three pillars behind the agenda

At the Naval Commanders Conference, the leadership will also assess overall preparedness, to optimise force levels and enhance combat readiness. The work rests on three pillars, abbreviated JAI: Jointness, Aatmanirbharta and Innovation.

The Navy links the pillars to the government's vision of Aatmanirbharta and Viksit Bharat 2047, a goal set for the country's centenary of independence.

A Navy at high tempo

The Navy says it continues to maintain a high tempo of operations.

Recent months have included the RIMPAC 2026 sea phase, the ADMM-Plus activity in which INS Sahyadri and INS Kulish took part off Subic Bay, and the SLINEX-26 exercise with the Sri Lanka Navy at Visakhapatnam.