India is ready to supply various weapons systems, including missiles and electronic warfare systems, to countries in the Indian Ocean Region (IOR), Defence Minister Rajnath Singh said on Thursday. Rajnath Singh said that organising a conclave of countries in the IOR on the margins of the international event “Aero India-2021” shows the importance India attaches to the vision of common growth and stability and constructive engagements with them.
Delivering his keynote address at the IOR Defence Ministers' Conclave, he said, “India is ready to supply various types of Missile systems, Light Combat Aircrafts/Helicopters, Multi-Purpose Light Transport aircraft, Warship and Patrol Vessels, Artillery Gun systems, Tanks, Radars, Military Vehicles, Electronic Warfare Systems and other weapons systems to IOR countries.”
“Our efforts are to synergise the resources and efforts in the Indian Ocean, including, defence Industry industrial cooperation amongst participating countries,” Singh said.
Many of the IOR countries are becoming globally competitive and are developing new technologies, including defence shipyards for design and shipbuilding, which can be jointly harnessed through regional cooperation efforts, the Minister said. He said the Indian aerospace and defence industries present an attractive and significant opportunity for foreign companies across the supply chain to take their cooperation to newer levels.
He said, “This Conclave is an initiative to promote dialogue in an institutional and cooperative environment that can foster the development of peace, stability and prosperity in the Indian Ocean Region. India is the largest country and has a vast coastline of 7500 Kms in the IOR region, has to play an active role for peaceful and prosperous co-existence of all IOR countries.”
“We all have a shared asset, that is, the Indian Ocean. It is an important lifeline to international trade and transport as it commands control of major sea-lanes carrying half of the world's container ships, one-third of the world's bulk cargo traffic and two-thirds of the world's oil shipments,” he also added.
“As Prime Minister Narendra Modi articulated in 2015, SAGAR -Security and Growth for All in the Region- is the theme of our Indian Ocean Policy. This outlook towards the Indian Ocean Region emanates from the ingrained element of our civilizational basic ethos “Vasudhaiva Kutumbakam”, which means that the entire world is a family. Therefore, IOR conclave should focus on security, commerce, connectivity, fight against terrorism and intercultural exchanges among participating countries,” he also stated.
Singh added, “We, therefore, have to join hands in looking at these threats in unison, because one's threat today may be another's tomorrow. Maritime resources will be key to sustained growth and development of nations across the Indian Ocean Region in the ongoing century. We have already seen the negative impact of conflicting claims in some maritime areas of the world. We must, therefore, ensure that the maritime expanse of the Indian Ocean is peaceful and is optimally harnessed for the benefit of all nations in the region.”
He added, “Together, we have demonstrated our mutual respect for a rules-based order, setting an example of how abiding with international law will enable harnessing the global commons for the good of all.”
