Gen Bipin Rawat: Over 120 warships deployed in Indian Ocean Region

Photo Credits: ANI

Chief of Defence Staff General Bipin Rawat emphasized on the India-Pacific region, stating there are more than 120 warships of extra-regional forces deployed in the Indian Ocean Region for supporting several missions.

While speaking on a keynote address at the Global Dialogue Security Summit, Rawat stated, “Most of the countries in the region are seeking to reap the economic dividends through improved connectivity and harnessing blue economy for which infrastructure is a prerequisite. Resident’s powers and extra-regional power have shown a renewed interest in investing in infrastructure development in these countries to maintain and increase geopolitical influence.”

Emphasizing on the theme of the summit, ‘Contesting the Indo Pacific for Global Domination’, CDS Rawat revealed that currently there are more than 120 warships of extra-regional forces deployed in the Indian Ocean Region for supporting several missions. He further stated, “In recent years, China’s economy and military rise coupled with competition to increase the influence in the region has attracted a great deal of interest. At present, there are over 120 warships of extra-regional forces deployed in the Indian Ocean Regions in support of various missions. Till now, the region, by and large, has remained peaceful albeit under contestation.”

CDS Rawat added, “In the military field, technology must be a means of deterrence not a source of destruction. Our approach to security hence needs to shift from unilateral to the multilateral mode which mandates increasing training engagements with partner nations in order to fortify future.”

General Rawat further iterated on governance and security to be under constant threat of being undermined. “Governance and security are under constant threat of being undermined by non-state actors and also naval competition among the states. To protect peace, prosperity and sovereignty it is important to keep a sea line of communication secure at all times with a stronghold on the security dimension of this region.”

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