Summary:
New Delhi, Oct 18 (PTI) There is a greater need to maintain peace and stability within the Indian maritime zone in order to boost trade and other economic activities, Defence Minister Rajnath Singh said on Monday.
Singh, while addressing the second edition of the Naval Commanders" Conference, said India envisions the Indian Ocean region with universal values such as "rule-based freedom of navigation" and "free trade" in which the interests of all participating countries are protected.
There have been mounting global concerns over China"s growing military assertiveness in the Indo-Pacific region.
Last month, the Indian Navy"s anti-submarine warfare Corvette INS Kiltan had carried out a military exercise with Australian frigate Anzac in the South China Sea, a region that has been witnessing growing Chinese military expansionism.
The defence ministry in a statement on Monday said, "Speaking about the rapidly changing economic and political relations across the world, Singh said that these economic interests do cause some stress in the relations." "Therefore, there is a greater need to maintain peace and stability within the Indian maritime zones in order to boost the trade and economic activities," he said, according to the ministry’s statement.
The India Navy"s role in ensuring maintenance of peace and stability in the Indian Ocean region is going to increase manifold in the times to come, Singh said.