By Aritra Banerjee
Defence Minister, Rajnath Singh, hosted the Defence Ministers’ Conclave on 14 February 2023, which was attended by the Defence and Deputy Defence Ministers from 27 countries on the sidelines of the Aero India 2023 in Bengaluru. The conference’s theme was ‘Shared Prosperity through Enhanced Engagements in Defence’ (SPEED) and focused on strengthening cooperation in capacity building, joint ventures, co-development, co-production, training, space, artificial intelligence (AI), and maritime security. The Defence Minister emphasised the need for real-time collaboration in the current complex global security scenario.
India’s focus on a rules-based international order, emphasising cooperation, fairness, respect, and equality among all sovereign nations, was also reaffirmed. The Defence Minister stressed the importance of regular interactions during summits, conferences, and conclaves to address concerns and create a common, secure, and prosperous future.
India’s approach to collective security was also highlighted, emphasising the need to devise new strategies to counter threats such as terrorism, illegal arms trade, drug smuggling, and human trafficking. The Defence Minister emphasises India’s approach to capacity building in partner countries to assist them in charting their destiny per their genius.
India’s Def Mantri offered an enhanced defence partnership to friendly countries that accommodated their national priorities and capacities.
The focus is on developing symbiotic relationships, learning from each other, growing together, and creating a win-win situation for all. The conclave was attended by over 160 delegates from several countries, including Defence and Deputy Defence Ministers from 27 countries, 15 Defence and Service Chiefs, and 12 Permanent Secretaries from 80 countries, attesting to India’s tremendous growth and engagement in the defence and security sectors.
