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NEW DELHI — The world should embrace Buddhist doctrines to find solutions to the ongoing conflicts and challenges to the international order, Defence Minister Rajnath Singh said at a regional security conclave in Laos on Thursday.
India has always advocated and practised dialogue for resolving complex international issues and its approach to a wide range of international challenges from border disputes to trade agreements, he said with his counterparts from a number of countries, including China’s Dong Jun, listening.
The defence minister made the remarks at the conclave of 10-nation ASEAN grouping and some of its dialogue partners, held in Vientiane, the capital city of Laos.
“With the world increasingly getting polarised into blocks and camps, leading to increasing strain on the established world order, it is time that the Buddhist doctrines of peaceful co-existence is embraced more closely by all,” he said.
“Following these principles, India has always advocated and practised dialogue for resolving complex international issues,” he said.
Singh said India’s commitment to open communication and peaceful negotiation is evident in its approach to a wide range of international challenges, including border disputes.
“An open dialogue promotes trust, understanding, and cooperation, laying the foundation for sustainable partnerships.”
“The power of dialogue has always proven effective, yielding tangible results that contribute to stability and harmony on the global stage,” he said at the conclave of ASEAN Defence Ministers’ Meeting Plus (ADMM-Plus) grouping.
Outlining India’s approach towards Indo-Pacific, the defence minister said New Delhi recognises the pivotal role of 10-nation ASEAN (Association of Southeast Asian Nations) as a cornerstone for peace and prosperity in the region.
“On the ongoing discussions on the Code of Conduct, India would like to see a Code that should not prejudice the legitimate rights and interests of nations, which are not party to these discussions,” he said.
His comments on the Code of Conduct for the South China Sea came amid various countries in the region pushing for it against the backdrop of China’s increasing military muscle-flexing in the region.
Beijing has strongly been opposing the Code of Conduct.
“The code should be fully consistent with international law, in particular the UN Convention Law of Sea 1982,” Singh said, adding India stands for freedom of navigation and overflight, unimpeded lawful commerce and adherence to international law.
There have been growing global concerns over China’s sweeping claims of sovereignty over all of the South China Sea, a huge source of hydrocarbons.
Several countries in the region, including Vietnam, the Philippines and Brunei, have counterclaims.
Elaborating on India’s approach to complex challenges, Singh said it believes genuine and long-term solutions to global problems can only be achieved when nations engage constructively, respecting each other’s perspectives and work toward shared goals in the spirit of cooperation.
“Considering the ongoing conflicts in different parts of the world and challenges to the international order, it is providential that we are meeting in Laos, which has internalised the Buddhist principles of non-violence and peace since long,” he said.
Singh argued that Buddhism provides an ideal for peaceful co-existence not only among peoples but also co-habitation of people with nature.
“Throughout his life, Buddha lived in close harmony with the natural world, often mediating and teaching in forests and open spaces, emphasising a life intertwined with the earth,” he said.
“In the contemporary world, both these prominent aspects of Buddhism call for our rigorous attention,” he said.
The defence minister also touched upon India’s close ties with the ASEAN region and that the 21st century is the ‘Asian Century’.
“The ASEAN region, in particular, has always been economically dynamic and bustling with trade, commerce and cultural activities spanning millennia. All through this transformational journey, India has remained a trusted friend of the region,” he said.
In this context, Singh also referred to a quote by Rabindranath Tagore, when he was visiting South East Asia in 1927, which was “everywhere I could see India, yet I could not recognize it.”
The defence minister said this statement symbolises how deep and widespread the cultural and historical ties between India and Southeast Asia have been.
“This friendship and partnership is as relevant today as it was then, and needs to be strengthened in the times to come,” he said.
“As India celebrates a decade of Our Act East policy, we see the dividends paying out in the strengthening of India’s ties with ASEAN and Indo-pacific nations. This vision re-emphasised the pivotal role of ASEAN as a cornerstone of our nation’s policy.
Singh began his three-day visit to Vientiane on Wednesday, primarily to attend the ADMM-Plus meeting.
ADMM-Plus is a platform comprising 10-nation ASEAN countries and its eight dialogue partners — India, China, Australia, Japan, New Zealand, the Republic of Korea, Russia and the United States.
Laos is hosting the meeting in its capacity as the current chair of ADMM-Plus.