Port Blair, Sept 21 (HS): The Andaman and Nicobar Command (ANC), India’s only tri-services operational command, successfully hosted the third edition of the Dweep Diksha Dialogue on September 19–20 at Sri Vijaya Puram, focusing on the theme “Evolution of ANC as a Strategic Hub and Beyond.”

The Dialogue, now recognized as a premier strategic forum, brought together senior armed forces leaders, diplomats, academics, media representatives, and strategic analysts to deliberate on the unique role of ANC in shaping India’s maritime and security outlook in the Indian Ocean Region (IOR).

Among the keynote speakers were Chief of Defence Staff General Anil Chauhan, Commander-in-Chief ANC Lt Gen Dinesh Singh Rana, and A&N Islands’ Lieutenant Governor Admiral DK Joshi, who highlighted the heightened strategic significance of the command. The forum also featured eminent veterans and experts including Admiral Arun Prakash (Retd), the first CINCAN; former CINCAN Lt Gen Ajai Singh (Retd); Rear Admiral Monty Khanna (Retd); Vice Admiral Anil Chawla (Retd); and Deputy Chief of Army Staff (Strategic) Lt Gen Rajiv Ghai.

Instituted in 2023, the Dweep Diksha Dialogue has grown into a critical platform that underscores ANC’s transformation from a remote outpost into a decisive maritime anchor for India. This year’s edition reinforced the Command’s role in professional military education, operational experimentation, and multi-service cooperation, while laying down a roadmap for India’s maritime strategy in the decades ahead.

Hindusthan Samachar / Jun Sarkar