Late Vice Admiral KK Nayyar, PVSM, AVSM, IN (1929–2018) ⚓🇮🇳 was a towering figure in India’s maritime thought, a visionary strategist, and the driving force behind the National Maritime Foundation (NMF). As its founder-chairman, he transformed the NMF into a beacon of maritime scholarship, towards dispelling India’s maritime blindness and shaping its strategic direction. 🌊📖 A distinguished naval leader ⚓ who commanded both the Eastern and Western Fleets, he was equally respected for his intellect and served on key national security and defence panels post-retirement. His unwavering passion for fostering robust maritime thinking lives on through the Vice Admiral KK Nayyar Fellowship, established by his family to support policy-relevant research, and the annual Vice Admiral KK Nayyar Memorial Lecture, instituted by the NMF. 📜🇮🇳 This year, as we pay tribute to the enduring legacy of Late Vice Admiral KK Nayyar, we are deeply honoured to host Shri Ram Nath Kovind, Honourable Former President of India 🇮🇳✨ as the distinguished speaker for the memorial address. ⚓⚓🕊️ #MaritimeLegacy 🌊 #NMF 📚 #VisionaryLeader ⭐ #SeaPower 🚢 #IndianNavy ⚔️ #HonouringLegends 🏅 #IndiaAtSea 🌏 #StrategicVision 🔍

🌍 Ms Anuttama Banerji at the India Think Tank Forum ⚓ Ms Anuttama Banerji, Research Associate, US Cluster, was invited by the Observer Research Foundation as a speaker for the panel, "The Indo-Pacific Nexus: Geopolitics, Security, and Cooperation" during the recently concluded India Think Tank Forum. She spoke on the relevance of the maritime domain for the Quad during the session. #IndoPacific 🌊 #Geopolitics 🌍 #MaritimeSecurity ⚓ #QuadAlliance 🤝 #IndiaThinkTankForum 🏛️ #StrategicAffairs 📖 #ObserverResearchFoundation #GlobalCooperation

📢 Presenting the latest feature in Rear Admiral Monty Khanna’s acclaimed Dabolim Diaries 📚. This edition of China Briefs dives into the PLA Navy’s possible construction of a new nuclear submarine base at Yulin, signalling a major expansion in China’s underwater warfare capabilities. 🚢⚓ Is Beijing restructuring its nuclear submarine fleet? 🧐 Recent satellite imagery reveals five massive piers under construction—wider, longer, and spaced farther apart than those at Longpo. With this development, China may be moving towards a specialised force structure, housing SSBNs at Longpo and shifting SSNs to the new base. Could this be a game-changer for naval strategy in the Indo-Pacific? 🌏🔍 Read the full article here: #DabolimDiaries 📚 #ChinaMaritime 🌊 #SubmarineBase 🚢 #NavalExpansion #UnderwaterWarfare #SouthChinaSea #PLAExpansion #MaritimeSecurity #NavalStrategy 🧭 #DefenceAnalysis

📖 Book Review Alert 🚀 Mr Shrey Shaurya Singh Bisht reviews Modern Psychological Warfare: A Case Study of India by Dr Arunkumar Bhatt, exploring the evolution, tactics, and strategic role of psychological warfare (PsyWar) in shaping conflicts and national security. Tracing PsyWar from ancient deception tactics to modern digital disinformation, the book highlights its impact on warfare, propaganda, and cyber threats. It critiques India’s lack of an institutional PsyWar strategy and calls for a National PsyWar Division, cybersecurity measures, and media literacy initiatives to counter external influence. A must-read for military strategists and security analysts, this book underscores the need for India to strengthen its PsyWar capabilities in an era of digital warfare. Read the article here: #PsychologicalWarfare 🧠⚔️ #InformationWarfare 🌐 #MilitaryStrategy 🚀 #CyberSecurity 🔐 #NationalSecurity 🇮🇳 #PsyOps 🎯 #Geopolitics 🌍 #DigitalWarfare 📡 #IndiaDefence 🛡️ #PropagandaWars

📖 Book Review Alert 🚢 This insightful book review by Ms Eram Mahtab examines The Free Sea by James Kraska and Raul Pedrozo, which traces the history and evolution of freedom of navigation ⚓ from Hugo Grotius' Mare Liberum (1609) to modern naval confrontations. The book details over two centuries of American naval history, covering conflicts such as the Quasi-War with France, World Wars, the Cold War, the Tanker Wars, and the South China Sea disputes 🌍. It analyses how law, diplomacy, and military force have been leveraged to uphold freedom of navigation, a principle central to international maritime law 📜. The authors highlight key incidents, including the USS Pueblo crisis, the Gulf of Tonkin Incident, and FON operations in the South China Sea, demonstrating how maritime disputes have shaped global security. They conclude by emphasising the importance of UNCLOS and the collective responsibility of democracies to safeguard global maritime order 🌊. A must-read for students of maritime law, naval history, and international security, the book provides practitioners’ insights into freedom of the seas while maintaining a balanced perspective on the successes and challenges faced by the United States ⚖️. Read the article here: #FreedomOfNavigation ⚓ #MaritimeLaw 📜 #NavalHistory 🚢 #InternationalSecurity 🌍 #UNCLOS 🌊 #TheFreeSea #Geopolitics 🔍 #MaritimeStrategy #Kraska #Pedrozo #SeaPower

🚢 YUCHI NAVAL BASE, GUZHEN BAY IN THE MIDST OF ANOTHER ROUND OF EXPANSION🌊 📢 Presenting the latest feature in Rear Admiral Monty Khanna’s acclaimed Dabolim Diaries 📚. This edition of China Briefs dives into the expansion of Yuchi Naval Base, a key hub for the PLA Navy’s Northern Theatre. Strategically located in Guzhen Bay, Yuchi has evolved into one of China’s largest and most advanced naval bases. Once a modest facility, it now boasts extensive berthing for aircraft carriers, destroyers, and amphibious assets. With ongoing construction of new piers and potential submarine berths, Yuchi is set to play a pivotal role in China’s future naval operations. As China pushes forward with rapid naval modernisation, Yuchi’s expansion underscores its commitment to securing maritime dominance in critical waters. How will this impact regional security? 🌍 📖 Read the full article here: #DabolimDiaries 📚 #ChinaMaritime 🌊 #NavalExpansion 🚢 #PLA #MilitaryPower 💥 #NavalStrategy 🧭 #MaritimeSecurity #SubmarineBase #NavalModernisation

🌊 Farewell to Our Six-Month Internship Batch! 🎓⚓ As we bid farewell to our incredible six-month internship batch at the National Maritime Foundation, we celebrate the dedication, hard work, and passion each intern brought to the maritime domain 🌍🚢. From engaging research to insightful discussions, their contributions have truly enriched our think tank. This is not goodbye but the beginning of new journeys! Wishing our interns smooth sailing and great success in all their future endeavours 🌟🌊. Keep exploring, questioning, and shaping the maritime narrative! #InternshipFarewell 🎓 #NMFInterns ⚓ #FutureMaritimeLeaders 🌊 #BlueEconomy 🌍 #MaritimeSecurity 🚢 #IndoPacificStrategy 🌏 #ResearchAndInnovation 📖 #SmoothSailing ⛵ #NewBeginnings ✨

🌊 Farewell to Our Six-Month Internship Batch! 🎓⚓ As we bid farewell to our incredible six-month internship batch at the National Maritime Foundation, we celebrate the dedication, hard work, and passion each intern brought to the maritime domain 🌍🚢. From engaging research to insightful discussions, their contributions have truly enriched our think tank. This is not goodbye but the beginning of new journeys! Wishing our interns smooth sailing and great success in all their future endeavours 🌟🌊. Keep exploring, questioning, and shaping the maritime narrative! #InternshipFarewell 🎓 #NMFInterns ⚓ #FutureMaritimeLeaders 🌊 #BlueEconomy 🌍 #MaritimeSecurity 🚢 #IndoPacificStrategy 🌏 #ResearchAndInnovation 📖 #SmoothSailing ⛵ #NewBeginnings ✨

@quant_guru @IN_WNC Mr Atul Tripathi, Honorary Adjunct Fellow, National Maritime Foundation, delivered a lecture on Quantum Computing for Naval Warfare 🚢⚡ at the Emerging Technologies Workshop held at the Naval War College (NWC) 🏛️

🌍 Visit of Diplomats from the 5th DISA Fellowship 2025 to the National Maritime Foundation ⚓ The National Maritime Foundation had the privilege of hosting diplomats from the 5th DISA Fellowship 2025 during their visit 🏛️. The discussions focused on key maritime security challenges, regional stability, and the evolving dynamics of the Indo-Pacific 🌊. There was active audience interaction 🤝, fostering insightful exchanges on ocean governance, strategic cooperation, and blue economy initiatives 🌏. #DISAFellowship2025 🌍 #MaritimeDiplomacy ⚓ #OceanGovernance 🌊 #StrategicCooperation 🤝 #IndoPacific 🌏 #BlueEconomy 💙 #GlobalMaritimeSecurity 🚢 #NMF 🏛️

🌊 Making Waves: A Compilation of News and Analytical Perspectives 📢 Edited by Ms Rashmi Yadav, Junior Research Associate, National Maritime Foundation, Making Waves is a carefully curated compilation of maritime news and analysis, released twice a month. This edition covers key developments in maritime security ⚓, naval strategies 🚢, and regional stability 🌍, along with updates on naval operations, shipping, ports, and the ocean economy 📦. Environmental concerns 🌱, marine conservation, and geopolitical shifts are also explored. Drawn directly from original sources, minor editorial amendments are made by specialists on maritime affairs. It is intended for academic research, and not for commercial use. NMF expresses its gratitude to all sources of information, which are cited in this publication. 🌊⚓ Read here: #MaritimeSecurity ⚓ #NavalForces 🚢 #OceanEconomy 🌊 #Geopolitics 🌍 #ClimateChange 🌱 #Sustainability 📖 #GlobalTrade 📦 #NMF 🏛️ #MaritimeInsights

📢 NMF Recognised by iCED and SAI for Contributions to Blue Economy and Climate Change🌊 The National Maritime Foundation (NMF) was acknowledged by the International Centre for International Audit (iCED), Jaipur 🏛️ and the Supreme Audit Institute of India (SAI) in their quarterly newsletter ‘GREEN FILES’, Vol 45 on the theme ‘Blue Economy’ 🌏⚓. Senior Fellows and Research Faculties of the NMF participated (online) 💻 in an In-house Capacity Building Programme on ‘Blue Economy and Climate Change Issues’ 🌊🌱, organised by iCED, Jaipur from 24 to 28 February 2023 and 18 to 30 March 2023. 📖 Read the newsletter here: #BlueEconomy 🌊 #ClimateChange 🌱 #OceanGovernance ⚓ #Sustainability 🌏 #MaritimeDevelopment 🚢 #NMF 🏛️ #India #EnvironmentalConservation 🌍 #CapacityBuilding 📖 #MarinePolicy

CHINA’S HEAVY LIFT SHIP FLEET AND THEIR POTENTIAL FOR USE IN COMBAT ⚔️ 📢 Presenting the latest feature in Rear Admiral Monty Khanna’s acclaimed series, Dabolim Diaries 📚. The segment, China Briefs 🌊, continues to offer expert analysis of China’s maritime advancements and ambitions 🚢. China's rapid naval expansion is reshaping the global maritime landscape ⚓. The country’s growing fleet, which includes aircraft carriers, destroyers, and submarines, demonstrates its ambition to project power across the world’s oceans 🌊. China’s strategic priorities are evident as they invest in advanced technologies like stealth warships, hypersonic missiles, and nuclear-powered submarines. Furthermore, China’s Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) is further cementing its presence in critical maritime regions 🌍, particularly the Indian Ocean and South China Sea 🌊. As tensions rise, China’s naval power plays a pivotal role in protecting its interests and asserting its dominance in these key areas. With increasing investments in shipbuilding and technological innovation, China’s naval modernization is set to redefine its future naval strategy 🔧💡. Read the article here #DabolimDiaries 📚 #ChinaMaritime 🌊 #NavalExpansion 🚢 #BeltandRoad #MilitaryPower 💥 #NavalStrategy 🧭 #MaritimeSecurity #HypersonicMissiles #NavalInnovation

🚨Article Alert🚨 Growing Chinese assertiveness in the South China Sea 🌊 has raised concerns for Southeast Asian nations 🌏 and Taiwan 🇹🇼, with India aligning itself with these countries to promote a free and open Indo-Pacific 🌐. As a key stakeholder, India is reassessing its 'Look East' policy 🔄 and seeking greater engagement with the South China Sea littorals 🛳️. In this article, Captain Kamlesh K Agnihotri (Retd) and Mr Nirmal Shankar M delve into how India’s evolving maritime strategy could reshape the region's security dynamics 🔍. Don’t miss this insightful analysis on India's role in ensuring regional stability 💡read the article here #SouthChinaSea #IndiaForeignPolicy #IndoPacific #MaritimeSecurity #IndiaLookEast #NavalPower #FreedomOfTheSeas #Geopolitics #MaritimeDiplomacy 🌏🚢

🚨Article Alert 🚨 Managing maritime spaces presents unique challenges due to the interconnectedness of ocean activities 🌊 and their socio-economic and environmental impacts 🌐. In this insightful article, Dr Pushp Bajaj advocates for the adoption of Marine Spatial Planning (MSP), a holistic and ecosystem-based approach, to ensure the long-term sustainability of India’s expanding maritime sectors ⚓ and its aspirations to become a leading Blue Economy 🌏. Divided into three parts, the article: - Highlights growing threats to the ocean environment 🌍 - Introduces the concept of MSP and its benefits 🌱 - Explores how MSP could be incorporated into India’s coastal and marine development policies 🌊 Read the article here #MarineSpatialPlanning ⚓ #OceanGovernance 🌏 #BlueEconomy 🌊 #Sustainability 🌱 #IndiaMaritime #CoastalManagement 🐟 #EnvironmentalConservation 🌍 #HolisticApproach #AdaptiveCapacity 🚢 #FutureReady

Article Alert 🚨 This article, written by Mr Mayank Mishra, delves into the tactics and techniques of lawfare ⚖️, focusing on its offensive and protective applications, primarily in the USA 🇺🇸. It explores the instrumental use of international and national legal provisions 📜 and forums to achieve strategic outcomes that would otherwise require military operations or the use of force 🛡️. While the People's Republic of China (PRC) 🇨🇳 has elevated lawfare to a key element of statecraft, this piece examines the broader exploitation of international law 🌐 by states and non-state actors, providing insights into how these methods influence global strategies 🌏. The discussion also sheds light on the PRC’s efforts in narrative-warfare 🗣️ through initiatives like the Global Civilizational Initiative (GCI) and the Global Security Initiative (GSI). Read the article here #Lawfare ⚖️ #Geopolitics 🌏 #StrategicStudies 🛡️ #NarrativeWarfare 🗣️ #PRC 🇨🇳 #InternationalLaw 📜 #Statecraft 🌍 #GlobalSecurity 🌐

📢 Presenting the fourth feature in Rear Admiral Monty Khanna’s acclaimed series, Dabolim Diaries 📚. The segment, China Briefs 🌊, continues to offer expert analysis of China’s maritime advancements and ambitions 🚢. This feature dives into the formidable Zubr Class Hovercraft (Type 958) 🚤—the largest hovercraft in the world 🚢. Originally designed by the Almaz Central Naval Design Bureau, USSR, and constructed at shipyards in St. Petersburg and Crimea, this engineering marvel boasts phenomenal combat capability 💥. It is capable of carrying three T-80 main battle tanks, eight BMP-2s, or 140 combat personnel 🪖, making it a key asset in amphibious operations. China’s acquisition and adaptation of this hovercraft highlight its strategic intent 🌏. With facilities built at Guangzhou and Zhanjiang 🛠️, the PLA Navy has optimised its usage for both operations and preservation. Though expensive to maintain 💰, its niche role and power projection potential are undeniable 🚀. Stay tuned for more expert analysis and insights into China's maritime strategies! Read the article here #DabolimDiaries 📚 #ChinaMaritime 🌊 #ZubrClass 🚤 #HovercraftPower ⚓ #NavalEngineering 🔧 #PLA 🚢 #MaritimeStrategy 🌍 #AmphibiousWarfare 🪖 #MilitaryTech

Mr John J Vachaparambil, Associate Fellow, Public International Maritime Law (PIML) Cluster, was invited by the International Centre for Environment Audit and Sustainable Development (iCED), Jaipur 🌱🏛️ as Guest Faculty during the National Training Programme on 'Climate Change with reference to Marine Ecosystem, Biodiversity Loss and Marine Pollution' 🌊🦈, held from 13 to 17 January 2025. On day two, Mr Vachaparambil delivered a lecture on 'Coral Reefs and Marine Protected Areas: Challenges and Opportunities for India' 🐠🏝️. His session sparked meaningful discussions 🤝 and knowledge sharing on the application of national and international laws to protect and conserve critical marine habitats, including coral reefs and designated Marine Protected Areas (MPAs). 🌍⚖️ #ClimateChange 🌡️ #MarineEcosystems 🌊 #Biodiversity 🐟 #MarinePollution 🚢 #CoralReefs 🪸 #MarineProtectedAreas 🛡️ #EnvironmentalConservation 🌱 #ThinkTankCollaboration 🤝 #SustainableDevelopment 🌏 #iCEDJaipur 🏛️

🚨Article Alert🚨 INDIA’S MARITIME IDENTITY by Captain Ranendra Sawan, Senior Fellow, National Maritime Foundation India's maritime heritage is not just a chapter in our history; it’s a powerful force shaping our future! 🌊💥 From ancient trade routes to modern maritime power, the sea is where India's true potential lies. 🚢⚓ In this eye-opening article, Captain Ranendra Sawan dives deep into why it's time for India to reignite its maritime consciousness. As projects like 'Maritime India Vision 2030' and 'Project SAGARMALA' take center stage, the sea is calling us to unlock a new era of economic and strategic greatness! 🌏 Ready to discover how India can rise as a maritime superpower? 🌟 Dive in and join the wave of change! 🌊 #MaritimeIndia #SAGARMALA #IndiaAtSea #SeaPower #Vision2030 #MaritimeIdentity #OceanEconomy #NationalMaritimeFoundation #NextGenMaritime

Ms Saaz Lahiri, Research Associate (Indo-Pac Cluster, focusing on the EU and UK), was honoured to be invited by the French DA, Col Peltriaux, aboard the French Navy’s iconic nuclear-powered aircraft carrier, FNS Charles de Gaulle ⚓, during its port call in Goa from January 03–09, 2025, as part of mission CLEMENCEAU 25. Accompanied by two distinguished representatives from other Indian think tanks, she witnessed the impressive operations of Rafale-M fighter jets ✈️ taking off and landing from the flight deck using the CATOBAR system 🛫 during the day at sea 🌊. She also visited key sections of the ship, including the bridge 🧭, the ready room, the wardroom, and the sick bay 🏥, gaining fascinating first-hand insights into life aboard this world-class warship 🚢. Ms Lahiri engaged in meaningful discussions with her Indian colleagues and French Navy personnel 🤝, exchanging views on strengthening India-France ties🤝 in the maritime domain and exploring avenues for deeper cooperation. The visit concluded with an exhilarating Caïman helicopter ride 🚁 back to shore, marking the end of an unforgettable day at sea 🌊. Grateful appreciation was extended to the French Embassy and the crew of the Charles de Gaulle for making this an incredible experience 🙏. #MaritimeCooperation 🌊 #FNSCharlesDeGaulle ⚓ #IndiaFranceTies #NavalDiplomacy 🤝 #CLEMENCEAU25 #RafaleM ✈️ #IndoPacCluster #ThinkTankCollaboration 🚢