Respected Defence Minister Rajnath Singh has launched the “RAKSHA” paper which is a strategy document defining the vision for India’s defence diplomacy over the coming decade. This paper maps out a roadmap for creating partnerships for security in bilateral and multilateral format by ensuring that India’s defence interests are aligned with its international cooperation policy. As stated by the Ministry of Defence, this strategy reflects a new approach in India’s global engagement. Strategic partnerships, military build-up, defence exports, and maritime security are some pillars of India’s defence diplomacy.
What Is the RAKSHA Document?
The RAKSHA document presents a long-term approach for Indian defence diplomacy and is intended to steer India’s defence diplomacy abroad in the coming decade.
Defence diplomacy has emerged as a key aspect of Indian foreign policy as the country tries to engage more in the domain of security diplomacy with its friendly countries and to play a greater role in ensuring regional stability.
The framework tries to link defence diplomacy with strategic/foreign policy goals of India.
Four Major Pillars of RAKSHA
Strategic Partnerships
- This involves fostering stronger collaboration between India and partner nations in the field of defence. India wishes to build up defence ties with partner countries through increased interaction and coordination.
Capacity Building
- RAKSHA highlights joint military exercises and best practices exchange. This can increase the interoperability of the armed forces of India and their partners and help them act together for their common security.
Indigenous Defence Exports
- Another area of importance is that of promoting defence manufacturing platforms of India in foreign countries. This aims at helping India build up as a dependable defence manufacturer in the world and becoming an exporter of its defence equipment.
- This pillar connects defence diplomacy with the development of defence industry in India.
Maritime Security
- The fourth major pillar is that of maritime security. Here the objective is to strengthen the position of India as a net security provider and first responder in the Indian Ocean Region (IOR).
Key Personalities Present for the Launch
Those present for the launch event were Defense Secretary Rajesh Kumar Singh, Defense Production Secretary Sanjeev Kumar, and East Zone MEA Secretary Rudrendra Tandon.
Among the key military personalities present for the event were Army Chief Dhiraj Seth, Vice Chief of the Air Staff Ashutosh Dixit, Navy Vice Chief Ajay Kochhar, and Integrated Defense Staff Chief Tejinder Singh.
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