New Delhi Oct 24 (UNI) Defence Minister Rajnath Singh on Thursday said the broad consensus achieved by India and China to resolve their differences in certain areas along the LAC is proof that continuous dialogue brings solutions. While delivering the keynote address at the Chanakya Defence Dialogue here, he asserted that the two countries have been involved in talks at diplomatic and military levels, and broad consensus has been achieved to restore the ground situation based on the principles of equal and mutual security. This is the power of engaging in continuous dialogue. Sharing his insights on the topic ‘India’s Vision for Development and Security’, Rajnath stated that ‘development’ and ‘security’ are often viewed from separate perspectives, but are, in actuality, deeply interconnected and mutually reinforcing. “Historically, the study of key factors for economic development such as land, labour, capital and entrepreneurship has been central to economic analysis. The impact of defence and security has traditionally been under-explored. This may be because security is often viewed as a necessary but non-economic factor. Defence spending, military infrastructure and national security can significantly affect economic growth and resource allocation, even in non-war periods or in peacetime,” he said. The Minister emphasised that a significant portion of any nation’s budget is dedicated to security, with the sector itself making a vital economic contribution through job creation, technological advancements and infrastructure development. Enumerating the steps being taken by the Government, Rajnath said the vision of border area development is based on bolstering the security apparatus and ensuring the socio-economic progress of the regions. This, in turn, fosters economic growth.
He highlighted that the Government’s consistent efforts to attain ‘Aatmanirbharta’ has directly linked the defence sector with the nation’s development. “If defence had been recognised as an integral component of development and studied more comprehensively in the past, India might have achieved self-reliance in the sector much earlier. The prolonged dependency on imports can be attributed, in part, to the lack of a coordinated approach between defence and development. Consequently, while our defence industry missed out on critical opportunities for growth and innovation, a significant portion of our defence budget flowed into other economies, limiting our ability to strengthen our own capabilities. Addressing this disconnect is essential for fostering a robust domestic defence industry that can contribute to national security and economic independence,” he said. He, however, clarified that self-reliance does not mean working in isolation from the global community; it is the country’s dedication to foster an equitable and inclusive world order. He reasserted India’s commitment to collaborating closely with all nations to promote a fair and just international system. He underscored the need to examine the impact of the defence sector on key economic indicators, such as income generation, employment creation, regional economic balance, manufacturing growth, investment, research and development, and the expansion of the service sector.
In his address, Chief of the Army Staff General Upendra Dwivedi brought out the crucial connection between national security and nation-building by referring to Chanakya’s ‘Saptang Theory’ to emphasise the importance of the development of effective State institutions, an operative governance mechanism, inclusive development, fostering a national identity and progressive transformation of the society as the contemporary paradigm of ‘nation building’. He highlighted that the Army not only provides a secure and safe environment for the people, but contributes immensely in every facet of development and growth story, viz, economy, social cohesion, skill development and environment sustainability etc. The Chief of the Army Staff termed the convergence of technology and security as very important in the current context. He emphasised on ‘Smart Power’- an approach that combines diplomacy and development with military might, is essential for sustainable growth as reflected in the ongoing conflicts.On the occasion, the Defence Minister also launched the Green Initiative 1.0 and Digitisation of Indian Army 1.0. Chief of Defence Staff General Anil Chauhan, Chief of the Air Staff Air Chief Marshal AP Singh, DG, Centre for Land Warfare Studies (CLAWS) Lt Gen Dushyant Singh and other senior serving and retired officers of the Armed Forces were present on the occasion.