New Delhi: The Indian Navy is going to host the Indo-Pacific Regional Dialogue – 2026 in New Delhi from November 3 to 5, bringing together experts from 18 countries to discuss maritime security, ocean science, climate change and emerging technologies. The defence minister, Rajnath Singh, will deliver the commemorative address on November 4, the second day of the conference, while science and technology minister, Jitendra Singh, will deliver a special address during a separate ministerial session on the same day.
The three-day conference will be held at the Manekshaw Centre under the theme “Science, Technology and Academic Cooperation in the Indo-Pacific”. Organized by the Navy in association with the National Maritime Foundation (NMF), the event will focus on how countries can work together on scientific research, technological development and shared maritime challenges.
The discussions will cover climate change, pressure on marine resources, vulnerabilities in maritime supply chains and threats to critical maritime infrastructure. Participants will explore how countries can share information, strengthen research partnerships and use scientific advances to address challenges that affect the wider region.
The dialogue will also build on India’s Indo-Pacific Oceans Initiative (IPOI), launched by the prime minister, Narendra Modi, at the East Asia Summit in Bangkok in November 2019. The initiative provides a framework for maritime cooperation and supports India’s broader vision of Mahasagar, which stands for mutual and holistic advancement for security and growth across regions.
Five professional sessions will highlight of the conference, covering academic networks and human capital development, maritime awareness and critical infrastructure protection, ocean science and climate resilience, ocean governance, and emerging maritime technologies. The discussions will examine ways to conduct joint research, share scientific data, develop technologies and strengthen partnerships between institutions.
The programme will also feature two special sessions. “Perspectives from the Flag Bridge” will bring together former naval chiefs from India and Sri Lanka to discuss how the Indian Ocean Naval Symposium (IONS) can support scientific, technological and academic cooperation across the Indian Ocean.
Another special session, “Sahyog Ka Samvaad” (cooperation and dialogue), will bring ambassadors together to discuss regional cooperation.
The second day, November 4, will include two professional sessions and two ministerial sessions, first one by Rajnath Singh and second by Jitendra Singh.
The conference will focus on what the organizers describe as “solution-oriented dialogue”, with participants expected to identify practical steps to address shared maritime challenges. These proposals could be pursued at national and regional levels through existing bilateral, trilateral and multilateral partnerships, with the aim of strengthening cooperation across the Indo-Pacific.
The previous edition of the IPRD 2025 was held in New Delhi from October 28 to 30, 2025, under the theme ‘Promoting Holistic Maritime Security and Growth: Regional Capacity-Building and Capability-Enhancement’. It brought together participants from more than 30 countries to discuss maritime security, the blue economy, protection of underwater infrastructure and cooperation with Pacific Island countries.
Previous conference also examined ways to improve coordination between regional organizations, including the Indian Ocean Rim Association (IORA), Indian Ocean Naval Symposium (IONS), Indian Ocean Commission (IOC) and Asean Outlook on the Indo-Pacific (AOIP). It concluded with a focus on developing practical initiatives for regional maritime cooperation and identifying measures that policymakers could take forward.