World should embrace Buddhist doctrines to resolve conflicts: Rajnath Singh

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.
Singh said that Buddhist doctrines of peaceful co-existence should be embraced more closely by everyone, and asserted that the world was increasingly getting polarised into blocks and camps. This, he stressed, was leading to increased strain on the established world order.
“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 at the 11th ASEAN Defence Ministers’ Meeting-Plus in Laos.
Singh argued that Buddhism provided an ideal for peaceful co-existence and co-habitation of people with nature. “In the contemporary world, both these prominent aspects of Buddhism call for our rigorous attention,” he said.
He stressed that open dialogue to resolve conflicts promoted trust, understanding and cooperation, and laid the foundation for sustainable partnerships.
“India has always advocated and practised dialogue for resolving complex international issues. This commitment to open communication and peaceful negotiation is evident in India’s approach to a wide range of international challenges, from border disputes to trade agreements,” he said.
“The power of dialogue has always proven effective, yielding tangible results that contribute to stability and harmony on the global stage. India believes that genuine and long-term solutions to global problems can only be achieved when nations engage constructively, respecting each other’s perspectives and working toward shared goals in the spirit of cooperation,” he added.
The Defence Minister highlighted that India stood for freedom of navigation, unimpeded lawful commerce and adherence to international law for peace and prosperity in the Indo-Pacific.
Outlining India’s approach towards the Indo-Pacific, the defence minister said New Delhi recognised the pivotal role of the 10-nation ASEAN (Association of Southeast Asian Nations) as a cornerstone for peace and prosperity in the region.
The Defence Minister said India would like to see a code that did not prejudice the legitimate rights and interests of nations which are not party to these deliberations. “The code should be fully consistent with international law, in particular the UN Convention Law of Sea 1982,” he added.
Singh’s remarks on the Code of Conduct for the South China Sea assumes significance 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.
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, including Vietnam, the Philippines and Brunei, have counterclaims on the territories in the sea.
On India celebrating a decade of Narendra Modi-led government’s Act East policy, Singh pointed out that the dividends were 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 the nation’s policy,” he said.
Taking note of the natural disasters impacting several countries, the Defence Minister called for strengthening of resilience to the global issue in the defence domain, adding that multi-stakeholder engagement, from developing innovative solutions to managing the adverse impacts of climate change, should be required to tackle the problem.
“This includes protecting vulnerable populations as well as safeguarding our defence installations,” Singh said, adding that there was a need to deepen the understanding of the interlinkages between climate change and security threats.
The Defence Minister called for developing an ADMM-Plus defence strategy for climate change.
He 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 poet and Nobel laureate Rabindranath Tagore, when he was visiting South East Asia in 1927, which was ‘everywhere I could see India, yet I could not recognise it’. The Defence Minister said Tagore’s statement symbolised 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.
Singh began his three-day visit to Lao’s capital, Vientiane, on Wednesday, primarily to attend the ADMM-Plus meeting. He met his counterparts from several countries, including China, the US and Australia on the sidelines of the summit.
ADMM-Plus, which Singh attended, is a platform comprising 10-nation ASEAN countries and its eight dialogue partners — India, China, Australia, Japan, New Zealand, South Korea, Russia and the US. The meeting was chaired by Deputy Prime Minister and Defence Minister of Laos, General Chansamone Chanyalath.