Our toughest challenges lie in our immediate neighbourhood: PM
Created on : 09/13/2010 03:49 PM (TOP 3)
New Delhi, September 13: Reiterating that the country’s ”toughest challenges lie in our immediate neighbourhood”, Prime Minister Manmohan Singh today said we must be ahead of the technology curve in defence capability and updating our war fighting doctrines to meet new threats to our security.
Addressing the inaugural session of the two-day Combined Commanders’ Conference here, Dr Singh said, ”The fact remains that we cannot realise our growth ambitions unless we ensure peace and stability in South Asia, and for this defence modernisation, though a complex task, is essential.
”If it is to be effective it must involve the full chain starting with updating our war fighting doctrines to meet new threats to our security, preparation of appropriate staff quality requirements and creating a broad-based production and delivery infrastructure on the ground.” Dr Singh said,” As our economy grows and our technological capabilities expand we must set higher standards for the modernisation of our defence forces, and it is not enough for us to keep pace with change.
”When it comes to defence capability, we must be ahead of the technology curve.” Calling upon ”all Ministries and Departments” to work in close coordination to ensure timely implementation of existing plans on defence preparedness, specially border infrastructure that includes not just land borders but also coastal security, Dr Singh said,
”It is necessary to approach this task with a sense of urgency.” Reminding of India’s article of faith ”in preserving our strategic autonomy, in which we have always prided ourselves”, the PM said, ”India is too large a country to be boxed into any alliance or regional or sub-regional arrangements, whether trade, economic or political.”
However, with economic and political power shifting to Asia, the Asia-Pacific region, including South-East Asia, needs our greater attention and this must seep into our defence and foreign policy planning, said the PM, adding, ”There is a palpable desire on the part of the countries of this region to enhance cooperation with us which we must reciprocate.”
Furthering his call for enhanced cooperation in the region, Dr Singh said the countries of the Gulf, West Asia and Central Asia were our natural partners and we had tangible interests in these regions, among which energy security was one of the most important.
”We have to ensure adequate availability of commercial energy to support our growth targets. This requires not only diversification of the sources of our energy imports but also the widening of our overall energy mix,” he said and added that ”It is in this context that we need to operationalise our nuclear energy option, which holds great promise and is a necessity.” In the end while pointing that the Indian Armed Forces are ”a hallmark of professionalism and national integration” the PM said, ”Our Armed Forces deserve the best and I wish to assure you that the Government will make every effort to ensure this. No country can make progress without ensuring its security and territorial integrity.”
The Nation is proud of the selfless devotion to duty displayed by the officers and men and women in uniform and on behalf of the Nation, I convey our gratitude to each and everyone of you and your families, Dr Singh added.