The Indian Navy will host the Indo-Pacific Regional Dialogue (IPRD) 2026 in New Delhi from November 3 to 5, bringing together maritime practitioners, scientists, academics, policymakers and experts from 18 countries, Bharat Shakti reported. The annual strategic dialogue, organised in association with the National Maritime Foundation, will run on the theme 'Science, Technology and Academic Cooperation in the Indo-Pacific'.
Source: Bharat Shakti — Navy to Host Indo-Pacific Dialogue (IPRD) 2026
Defence Minister Rajnath Singh is scheduled to deliver the commemorative address on the opening day, according to the Ministry of Defence release reproduced by AeroDefence. The opening day will also feature 'Perspectives from the Flag Bridge', bringing together former naval chiefs from India and Sri Lanka, and 'Sahyog Ka Samvaad', a special interaction with ambassadors.
Source: AeroDefence — Indian Navy to Host Indo-Pacific Regional Dialogue 2026 (Ministry of Defence release)
Five thematic sessions 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, including their dual-use implications, the release said.
Source: AeroDefence — Indian Navy to Host Indo-Pacific Regional Dialogue 2026 (Ministry of Defence release)
The Navy says the theme reflects a basic feature of the maritime domain: the oceans are interconnected, but the scientific knowledge, technology and institutions needed to manage them are unevenly spread across countries. Climate change, pressure on marine resources, vulnerabilities in trade and supply chains and threats to critical maritime infrastructure all cross national boundaries, Bharat Shakti reported.
Source: Bharat Shakti — Navy to Host Indo-Pacific Dialogue (IPRD) 2026
The IPRD is the Indian Navy's apex-level annual international strategic dialogue and its principal platform for strategic outreach, Manorama Yearbook noted. It seeks to translate the broad framework of the Indo-Pacific Oceans Initiative — proposed by Prime Minister Narendra Modi at the East Asia Summit in Bangkok in November 2019 — into specific, actionable proposals, and supports India's MAHASAGAR vision of Mutual and Holistic Advancement for Security and Growth Across Regions.
Source: Manorama Yearbook — New Delhi to host Indo-Pacific Regional Dialogue in November