India “Bright Spot” in the Midst of Geopolitical Upheaval and Despair: Army Chief
Image Source: BNN Breaking
India continues to be a “bright spot” in the world, despite geopolitical upheavals such as the Russia-Ukraine war and the intensifying conflict in West Asia.
Against the backdrop of the ongoing border standoff with China in eastern Ladakh, he stated in an address at the Chanakya Defence Dialogue that New Delhi’s outlook for engagement with the world is focused on respecting the sovereignty and territorial integrity of all nations, as well as the peaceful resolution of disputes.
Additionally, Gen. Pande stated that the Army is eager to expand the scope and size of cooperative military training and exercises with friendly foreign partner states, and India is setting up defense wings in new locations throughout the world.
“The globalized world that we once applauded is now fraught with difficulties. It is moving towards decoupling, de-risking, and perhaps de-globalization. Amidst such despondency, it is my belief that India remains a ‘bright spot,'” he said.
Examining the contemporary geopolitical upheavals, he emphasized the importance of recognizing the “renewed currency” of hard power and the increasing importance of national security in international politics.
“Our outlook emphasizes respect for sovereignty and territorial integrity of all nations, equality for all, peaceful resolution of disputes, avoidance of the use of force, and adherence to international laws, rules, and regulations.”
According to the Chief of Army Staff, India’s dedication to actively involving all parties has been “unwavering and enduring” over time.
“In the military domain, we understand our role in the multilateral engagement architecture. We are keen to enhance the scope and scale of our joint exercises, interoperability, sub-regional perspectives, and sharing of best practices with our friendly foreign partner nations,” he said. “To give a fillip to our defense cooperation outreach, we are establishing Defense Wings at new locations across the world.”
“The challenges we face are significant, but so are the opportunities and collective wisdom and strength,” the Army Chief added.
Along with certain new trend lines, Gen. Pande emphasized the “unprecedented churn in the global landscape” that has started a series of events.
“Amongst others, we need to take particular note of the growing salience of national security in international affairs and the renewed currency of hard power,” he observed.
“The pandemic, which began as a health crisis and ended up as a national security event, followed closely by the cataclysm in Ukraine,” he said.
“We are now faced with an escalating conflict in West Asia. These instabilities and challenges are compounded by notable economic turbulence and the weaponization of a multitude of attributes and domains from information to supply chains,” he said.
Radicalization, terrorism, piracy, illegal immigration, refugees, and climate change, according to the Army Chief, are just a few of the problems facing the world today.
According to Lisa Curtis, a specialist in strategic affairs, competition is increasing in the Indo-Pacific area. A non-military alliance is probably going to become a prosperous multilateral organization in the direction of this quad.
She agreed that China will continue to exert more influence in the area.
Gen. Pande stated in his speech that India has “one that is distinct, rooted in Indian ethos and effective in articulating the concerns of the Global South” as a credible voice on the international scene.
“India shares common interests and values such as democracy, human rights, and the rule of law with our partners and like-minded countries. This alignment of shared values creates a solid foundation for cooperative security efforts,” he said.
“The spin-offs of these collaborative efforts are not restricted to security but transcend into the economic realm, innovation and technology, capacity building, multilateral problem-solving, and diplomacy as well,” he said.
“Our initiatives are bedrock in the Indian way.” According to the Chief of Army Staff, technology is changing warfighting and strategic competition in geopolitics like never before.
“In fact, technology is emerging as a new strategic arena of geopolitical competition. Even as gray zone contestations in non-traditional domains seem to be expanding, so is the probability and arch of all-out conflicts,” he said.
“Not only is the “Cold-War” peace dividend “dwindling,” but “the world seems to be fracturing in myriad ways,” according to the Chief of Army Staff.
According to him, “new divisions” are emerging not only between the Global North and South but also between the East and the West.
“An agile, resilient, and consumer-driven economy has enabled us to brave the economic downturns of the Russia-Ukraine conflict,” he said.
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- Sargam Parashar comes from an Army background and has been privileged to experience the diversity of India. She loves travelling, photography, fine arts, dancing, playing musical instruments, reading, writing, etc. Sargam is a keen learner and looks forward to trying new things. She aspires to build a career in Journalism.
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