4-Sep-2020: Raksha Mantri Shri Rajnath Singh addresses Combined Meeting of Defence Ministers of SCO, CSTO & CIS Member States in Moscow
Raksha Mantri Shri Rajnath Singh has emphasised that, “Peaceful, stable and secure region of SCO member states – which is home to over 40 per cent of global population, demands a climate of trust and cooperation, non-aggression, respect for international rules and norms, sensitivity to each other’s interest and peaceful resolution of differences." He was addressing the Combined Meeting of Defence Ministers of Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO), Collective Security Treaty Organisation (CSTO) and Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS) Member States in Moscow today. "If I may borrow an idea articulated by our Prime Minister in a different context, our goal should be ‘Security and Growth for all in the Region’.” he added.
Referring to the threats faced by the world today, Shri Rajnath Singh said, “We need institutional capacity to deal with both traditional and non-traditional threats – above all, terrorism, drug-trafficking and transnational crime. As you all are aware, India unequivocally condemns terrorism in all forms and manifestations, and condemns its proponents. India values the works of SCO Regional Anti-Terrorism Structure (RATS). We laud RATS’ recent work in the cyber domain to prevent the spread of radicalism and extremism. The adoption of anti-terror measures by the SCO Council to counter extremist propaganda and de-radicalisation is a significant decision.”
Raksha Mantri expressed his deep concern about the situation in the Persian Gulf Region. He said, “India has vital interests and links of civilisation and culture with all States in the Gulf. We call upon countries in the region – all of which are dear and friendly to India, to resolve differences by dialogue based on mutual respect, sovereignty and non-interference in internal affairs of each other.”
Speaking about the situation in Afghanistan, Shri Rajnath Singh said, “Security situation in Afghanistan remains a concern. India will continue to support the efforts of the people and Government of Afghanistan for an Afghan-led, Afghan-owned and Afghan-controlled inclusive peace process. The SCO Contact Group on Afghanistan is useful for exchanging notes among SCO member States."
Raksha Mantri reaffirmed India’s commitment to evolution of a global security architecture which will be open, transparent, inclusive, rules-based and anchored in international laws. Raksha Mantri thanked Russian Federation for organising the annual anti-terror exercise ‘Peace Mission’, which has contributed to building trust and sharing of experience among Defence Forces.
Shri Rajnath Singh is on an official visit to Moscow from September 3-5 at the invitation of Defence Minister of Russian Federation General Sergei Shoigu.
2-Sep-2019: Joint Naval Annual Quality Conclave (JNAQC) to be held in Visakhapatnam on September 05, 2019
The Joint Naval Annual Quality Conclave (JNAQC) under the theme ‘Transformation of QA Paradigm: Opportunities and Challenges’ will be hosted by the Naval Quality Assurance Establishments under the aegis of Director General Quality Assurance (DGQA), Ministry of Defence in Visakhapatnam on September 05, 2019. Vice Admiral Atul Kumar Jain, Flag Officer Commanding-in-Chief of Eastern Naval Command will be the Chief Guest for the annual event.
A group of eminent leaders and apex level leadership of large organisations will be delivering keynote addresses during the JNAQC. The guest speakers include Dr Tessy Thomas, DS & DG (Aero Systems), DRDO, Rear Admiral Kalidoss Srinivas, Project Director Ship Building Centre, Rear Admiral SK Nair, Assistant Chief of Materiel (Information Technology & Systems), Rear Admiral S Chaubey (Retd), CMD ECIL, Rear Admiral Surendra Ahuja, (Retd), MD Boeing India, Rear Admiral Shekhar Mital, (Retd), MD & CEO CEMS India Ltd, Cmde Siddharth Mishra (Retd), CMD BDL and Shri R Muralidharan, Chief Technology Officer Tata Power SED. In addition, a large number of senior officers from Indian Navy, Indian Army, DRDO, MoD including academia will be participating in the event.
The second session will focus on ‘Quality Challenges of Emerging Technologies’ in which Rear Admiral SK Nair, NM, ACOM (IT&S) will provide insights on Management of Emerging Technologies in Indian Navy.
It is envisaged that the Conclave will provide a vibrant environment for stimulating discussions on all aspects pertaining to Transformation of QA Paradigm and will benefit all stakeholders by enabling cross-fertilization of ideas and best practices from diverse fields.
13-Jun-2019: Maritime Information Sharing Workshop 2019
Security and safety of the seas in the Indian Ocean Region (IOR) is vital to world trade and the economic prosperity of many nations. The scale, scope and the multinational nature of activities at sea, necessitates a collaborative approach to maritime security. Considering this, the Information Fusion Centre – Indian Ocean region (IFC-IOR), Gurugram was launched in Dec 18 by the Hon’ble Raksha Mantri for enhancing maritime safety and security in the region. The centre has thus far established linkages with more than 16 countries and 13 international maritime security agencies.
To facilitate sharing of best practices in maritime information sharing and better understand the maritime security challenges in the IOR, the Indian Navy is hosting a Maritime Information Sharing Workshop (MISW) from 12-13 Jun 19, at the IFC-IOR. Over 50 delegates from about 30 countries would be participating in the workshop. The event would include interactive sessions by subject matter experts from the participating countries, on issues such as maritime piracy, human and drug trafficking and the legal aspects of combating these challenges. A table top information sharing exercise would also be conducted as part of the workshop. The Deputy Chief of Naval Staff of the Indian Navy would be inaugurating the workshop.