Espousing the idea of multi-alignment and a "win-win situation" for all, Indian Defence Minister Rajnath Singh has underlined the importance of the Indo-Pacific region and voiced the country's intent for constructive engagements in the region for shared prosperity and security.
Delivering a keynote address at the Indo-Pacific Regional Dialogue-2022 on November 25 in New Delhi, Singh said the Indo-Pacific region remains important for the economic development of not only the regional but also the wider global community.
"There is a deeper connect that allows us to share a common message of humanity across the Indo-Pacific region. Along this path of shared prosperity and security, India underlines the centrality of ASEAN in our endeavours in respect of the Indo-Pacific region," he said.
Referring to Prime Minister Narendra Modi's recent G20 visit, he said: "Resolute message of our PM Modi, that the era of war is over has been echoed by the world leaders, gathered in Bali recently for the G-20 summit, with the G20 communique mentioning that "now is not the time for war".
Speaking in favour of the multi-alignment approach, the Defence Minister argued that a strong and prosperous India would not be built at the cost of others, rather, India is there to help other nations realise their full potential.
"We should strive to create a win-win situation for all. We should not be guided by narrow self-interest, which is not beneficial in the long run, but by enlightened self-interest, which is sustainable and resilient to shocks," he said.
Referring to India's history of multi-alignment, Singh said the country believes in a multi-aligned policy, which is realised through diverse engagements with multiple stakeholders, so that all views and concerns can be addressed.
"We have also proposed ASEAN-India Initiative on Marine Plastic Pollution Response towards improving the marine ecosystem," he said.
(ANI)