The rise of serious menaces such as drug trafficking, piracy, terrorism, and climate change has 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.
While addressing a conference on the Indo-Pacific, Singh said that the nature of challenges in the region has considerable trans-national implications that require a cooperative response.
Rajnath Singh also pressed on the fact that India is completely determined to safeguard 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 has thrown new challenges for our Indo-Pacific region,” the minister said.
He also said that the country will protect the legitimate rights and interests in relation to its territorial waters and EEZ. Rajnath Singh’s comments came in the backdrop of growing global concern over the Chinese increasing dominance in the Indo-Pacific.
