New Delhi: Chief of Army Staff Gen Manoj Pande on Tuesday called for collaborative action of littoral partners in the Indo-pacific region for shared responsibility towards achieving a sustaining peace and stability in the region. Addressing a two-day conclave of army chiefs of Indo-Pacific nations, Gen Pande said that the Indo-Pacific construct has come to occupy central space in the contemporary geo-strategic campus in recent years.
“It's significance is a reflection of evolving dynamics in the political security economic and environmental domains of today's world. The region is not only a cauldron of cultures, history, resources and opportunties, but it also a theater of complexities and challenges,” he said. The Army chief said that the percentage of global population residing in the region, its share of the world's GDP, the proportion of merchandize, market tie to the region, the magnitude of night time trade and transit to this area lends this region a pivotal stature in charting the world's course in the 21st century.
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“Therefore a periodic ideation, discussion and collaborative congregation of all littoral partners is mandated with core efforts focused on shared responsibility towards achieving a sustaining peace and stability,” he said. He said that the ongoing symposium is part of that endeavour. The Army chief further said that India's outlook for Indo-Pacific emphasises respect for sovereignty and territorial integrity of all nations amid growing global concerns over China's aggressive military muscle-flexing in the region.
Gen Pande further said that India's commitment towards positively engaging all stakeholders in the region has been unwavering and enduring. India's vision for Indo-Pacific emphasises peaceful resolution of disputes, avoidance of use of force, and adherence to international laws, he said. "While efforts by countries are converging towards a free Indo-Pacific, yet we are witnessing manifestations of interstate contestations and competitions," the Army chief added.
The Army chief further noted that "challenges we face transcend across borders and our response to them must factor in this". Emphasising the importance of the Indo-Pacific, Gen Pande said the region is not merely a collection of nations but it is a web of interdependencies. "We are aiming to build trust and strengthen cooperation," he said. (Inputs from agencies)
