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NEW DELHI: ‘RAKSHA’, a comprehensive document outlining India’s strategic roadmap and vision for global defence partnerships over the next decade, was released by Defence Minister Rajnath Singh on September 3 in New Delhi.
The defence diplomacy framework seeks to align India’s national security objectives with proactive global cooperation while promoting long-term stability, mutual growth and a rules-based international order.
The document identifies four key pillars of India’s defence diplomacy strategy – strategic partnerships, capacity building, indigenous defence exports and maritime security.
Under strategic partnerships, the framework focuses on deepening bilateral and multilateral security cooperation with partner countries. It also emphasises enhanced capacity building through joint military exercises, training programmes and the sharing of best practices with friendly nations.
The document gives particular importance to promoting indigenous defence platforms under the Make-in-India initiative, with the objective of strengthening India’s position as a reliable global defence manufacturing and export hub.
Maritime security is another major focus area, with the framework seeking to further strengthen India’s role as a Net Security Provider and First Responder in the Indian Ocean Region.
The Ministry of Defence (MoD) said the document provides a clear and actionable vision for the next 10 years, recognising defence diplomacy as a key pillar of India’s foreign policy. It aims to strengthen India’s contribution to peace and stability while expanding defence cooperation and strategic partnerships globally.
Chief of the Army Staff General Dhiraj Seth, Defence Secretary Rajesh Kumar Singh, Secretary (Defence Production) Sanjeev Kumar, Secretary (East), Ministry of External Affairs, Rudrendra Tandon, Vice Chief of the Air Staff Air Marshal Ashutosh Dixit, Vice Chief of the Naval Staff Vice Admiral Ajay Kochhar and Chief of Integrated Defence Staff to Chairman Chiefs of Staff Committee Air Marshal Tejinder Singh and other senior officials from the Ministry of Defence, Ministry of External Affairs and the National Security Council Secretariat also attended the event.
