The rise of serious threats such as terrorism, drug trafficking, piracy and climate change have thrown new challenges for the Indo-Pacific at a time when the competition over its resources has intensified, Defence Minister Rajnath Singh said on Wednesday.
In an address at a conference on the Indo-Pacific, Singh said the nature of the challenges in the region has considerable trans-national implications that require a cooperative response.
The defence minister also asserted that India is fully determined to protect its legitimate rights and interests in its territorial waters and exclusive economic zone while supporting the maintenance of rules-based maritime systems.
“While competition over resources has intensified, the rise of serious threats such as terrorism, piracy, drug trafficking and climate change have thrown new challenges for our Indo-Pacific region,” he said.
“The nature of these challenges in the region has considerable trans-national implications which require a cooperative response. There is, therefore, a need to find convergence of interests and commonality of purpose on maritime issues,” Singh said.