The National Maritime Foundation had the honour of hosting the 2025 edition of the prestigious Vice Admiral KK Nayyar Memorial Lecture (KKNML), held annually in remembrance of one of India’s foremost maritime visionaries. This year’s lecture was delivered by Shri Ram Nath Kovind, former President of India, whose insightful address added great depth and significance to the occasion.

The event was inaugurated by Admiral Dinesh Kumar Tripathi, PVSM, AVSM, NM, the Chief of the Naval Staff, who set the tone for the day with his inspiring inaugural remarks, underscoring the strategic importance of maritime thought leadership and cooperation in the Indo-Pacific.

On the sidelines of the lecture, the Foundation also released a monograph titled “The Andaman and Nicobar Islands: Sentinel of India’s Maritime Security from the East,” authored by Captain KK Agnihotri, IN (Retd). The monograph examines the islands’ enduring strategic relevance and their vital role in safeguarding India’s eastern maritime frontier.

The event brought together distinguished members of the strategic, academic, and defence communities, reaffirming the National Maritime Foundation’s commitment to fostering meaningful dialogue and scholarship on issues of maritime security and national interest.