Navy unveils updated maritime doctrine, adds ‘no-war, no-peace’ to conflict spectrum

Signalling India’s evolving maritime outlook and its ambition to leverage the seas as a cornerstone of Viksit Bharat 2047, the Indian Navy on Tuesday unveiled the updated Indian Maritime Doctrine, which for the first time recognises ‘No-War, No-Peace’ as a distinct operational space and incorporates newer threats such as grey-zone, hybrid and irregular warfare.

Reflecting the transformation in India’s maritime environment over the last decade and incorporating India’s broader vision of harnessing the oceans as a key pillar of Viksit Bharat 2047, the new edition of the Indian Maritime Doctrine was released by the Indian Navy, here today.

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The brief of the naval doctrine, which was released ahead of the Navy Day, defines the Navy’s roles, answering the central question-“Why we do what we do.”

The latest edition formalises No-War No-Peace as a distinct category between peace and conflict, establishing it as an important facet of the conflict spectrum. It integrates an enhanced understanding of tactics employed by adversaries, including grey-zone, hybrid, and irregular warfare.

The revised doctrine also acknowledges the growing importance of the space, cyber, and cognitive domains, while emphasising on the integration of uncrewed systems, autonomous platforms, and emerging technologies. Additionally, it prioritises jointmanship by aligning with tri-service joint doctrines, towards ensuring interoperability across the Armed Forces.

The Indian Maritime Doctrine is the apex guidance document of the Indian Navy. Initially published in 2004 and revised in 2009, with minor amendments in 2015, the 2025 edition reflects the major transformations in India’s maritime environment and strategic outlook. The Indian Maritime Doctrine 2025 lays the foundation for the Navy’s strategy and operations, providing a shared understanding of the principles that guide employment across the spectrum of conflict.

This new edition reflects the transformation in India’s maritime environment over the last decade and incorporates India’s broader vision of harnessing the oceans as a key pillar of Viksit Bharat 2047.

This outlook is reinforced through major Government of India initiatives, such as Sagarmala, PM Gati Shakti, Maritime India vision 2030, Maritime Amrit Kaal Vision 2047, and MAHASAGAR. It also recognises the growing maritime security challenges characterised by multi-domain threats, a diverse set of actors, and rapid advancements in technology.

The Indian Maritime Doctrine 2025 is intended to advance India’s regional role and maritime influence while fostering a maritime-conscious nation that recognises the centrality of maritime power to national security.

It seeks to strengthen jointness and integration across services and guide the translation of doctrine into strategy, operational directives, tactical publications, and naval capability development.