The presence of more than 120 foreign warships in the Indian Ocean and a race for strategic bases that will gain momentum in future reflects the growing global interest in the region, the Chief of Defence Staff, Gen Bipin Rawat, said on Friday.
Rawat’s remarks, made at a virtual conference, came against the backdrop of key European powers such as Germany and France unveiling strategies for the Indo-Pacific and China’s assertive actions across the region that have triggered concerns around the world.
India, he said, will have to build on existing bilateral and multilateral mechanisms, including more training engagements with partner nations, to cope with such challenges while retaining strategic autonomy in decision-making. The country will have to achieve its aspiration of becoming a major global power while living in a “tough neighbourhood” and an “increasingly contested” region, he added.Read more…
