India has no extra-territorial ambitions, but its aim is to ensure conducive external and internal security environment for unhindered economic progress and socio-political development, Army chief General Bipin Rawat said Thursday.
Contested sovereignty of maritime territories pose a major challenge in East Asia and the South China Sea and these disputed maritime boundaries are threatening international waters, Gen Rawat said, speaking at a seminar on 'Evolving Geo-Politics of the Indo-Pacific Region-Challenges and Prospects'.
Harinder Sidhu, the high commissioner of Australia to India, who also delivered a special address at the seminar, said if invited, Australia is willing to join the Malabar Exercise.
In his keynote address, Gen Rawat said, "Our security policy flows from two basic cardinals. That is, we have no extra-territorial ambitions and we have no desire to transplant our ideologies on others. Our aim is to ensure a conducive external and internal security environment for unhindered economic progress and socio-political development. Thus, stability in the Indo-Pacific region is essential."
