‘Security of India can’t be outsourced’

 

‘Security of India can’t be outsourced’

Army chief says The security of the nation can neither be outsourced nor be dependent on the "largesse" of others, Army chief Gen Manoj Pande said on Saturday. Speaking at a defence conclave, Pande said weaning away from import dependencies for capability development requirements of the Army remains pivotal in its strategic planning to be "future ready". A self-reliant future Pande said, "The need to be self-reliant in meeting our defence needs, both in acquiring new weapons systems, platforms and equipment and sustenance of existing ones by meeting ammunition, spares and maintenance demands and achieving self-sufficiency in critical technologies is hence an imperative." The Army is currently working with 340 indigenous defence industries for the fructification of 230 contracts by 2025, which entails an outlay of Rs 2.5 lakh crore. A ‘Dosti’ exercise Amid Maldivian President Mohamed Muizzu’s anti-India political campaign, the 16th iteration of ‘Dosti”, the biennial trilateral naval exercise, concluded on Sunday near Male in the Indian Ocean. The 'Dosti' series of naval exercises began in 1992 with only Maldives and India. Sri Lanka joined the programme in 2012 and this year, in the 16th edition, the Bangladesh Coast Guard too joined as an observer. Why it matters The exercise was held when the Maldives was witnessing a paradigm shift in its foreign policy. After winning the election last year on an anti-India plank, President Muizzu has aggressively followed a pro-China policy. This has given China a greater opportunity to strengthen its foothold in the Indian Ocean Region, something the communist regime has been eyeing for decades. This also comes when the Muizzu government is pushing India to replace its military personnel (between 70 and 80 in number) from its territory with a civilian workforce. Meanwhile… India and Japan on Sunday kicked off a two-week military exercise in Rajasthan. Named 'Dharma Guardian', it is an annual exercise that is conducted alternatively in India and Japan to foster deeper cooperation in confronting common security challenges.