India 'bright spot' amidst despondency, geopolitical upheavals: Army Chief Gen Manoj Pande

New Delhi: India's outlook emphasises respect for sovereignty and territorial integrity of all nations as well as peaceful resolution of disputes and adherence to international rules, Chief of Army Staff Chief Gen Manoj Pande said on Friday, against the backdrop of the festering border row with China in eastern Ladakh.

In an address at the Chanakya Defence Dialogue, Gen Pande also said that India is establishing defence wings in new locations around the world and that the Army is keen to enhance the scope and scale of joint military training and exercises with friendly foreign partner nations.

Delving into current geo-political upheavals, he emphasised on the need to take note of growing salience of national security in international affairs and the 'renewed currency' of hard power.

The Chief of Army Staff described India as the 'bright spot' amidst despondency and geopolitical flux.

"Our outlook emphasises respect for sovereignty and territorial integrity of all nations, equality of all, peaceful resolution of disputes, avoidance of use of force and adherence to international rules, laws and regulations," Gen Pande said without making any specific references.

The Chief of Army Staff said India's commitment towards positively engaging all stakeholders has been "unwavering and enduring" over the years.

"In the military domain we understand our role in the emerging multilateral architecture. We are keen to enhance the scope and scale of our joint training and exercises, interoperability, sub-regional perspectives and sharing of best practices with friendly foreign partner nations," he said.

"To give fillip to our defence cooperation outreach, we are establishing defence wings in new locations around the world," he said.

"The challenges we face are significant but so are the opportunities and collective wisdom and strength," the Army Chief added.

Talking about India's rising stature, he said it has a credible voice at the world stage, "one that is distinct, rooted in Indian ethos and effective in articulating the concerns of the Global South".

"India shares common interests and values such as democracy, human rights and rule of law with our partners and like-minded countries. This alignment of shared values creates a solid foundation for cooperative security efforts," Gen Pande 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, adding that "Our initiatives are bedrock in the Indian way."

The Chief of Army Staff also said that technology is driving geo-politics like never before transforming not only strategic competition but also war fighting.