Canadian Army Confirms Participation in Indo-Pacific Armies Chiefs Conference Despite Diplomatic Row

Canadian Army Confirms Participation in Indo-Pacific Armies Chiefs Conference Despite Diplomatic Row

VoM News Desk | September 20, 2023 | 10:41 AM IST | Breaking News, World | Follow on Google News

Canadian Army Confirms Participation in Indo-Pacific Armies Chiefs Conference Despite Diplomatic Row

The Canadian Army remains committed to participating in the upcoming Indo-Pacific Armies Chiefs Conference (IPACC), set to take place in Delhi, India. Despite the ongoing diplomatic tensions between Canada and India, the Canadian Army’s involvement in this multilateral conference remains unaltered. Major General Abhinaya Rai, additional director general of Strategic Planning in the Indian Army, reaffirmed this stance.

Fostering Collaboration in the Indo-Pacific

The IPACC is poised to bring together senior military leaders from 30 different countries, all with the aim of enhancing collaboration and understanding within the Indo-Pacific region. The ultimate goal is to promote peace, security, and prosperity across this vital area.

Canada’s Participation and Indian Defence Minister’s Presence

The Canadian Army will be represented by its deputy commander, Major General Peter Scott, during this two-day event commencing on September 26. India’s Defence Minister, Rajnath Singh, is slated to attend the opening ceremony. The conference will also witness the participation of chiefs from around 20 armies, along with non-commissioned officers.

Canada Remains an Important Partner

Major General Abhinaya Rai reiterated that the ongoing diplomatic row with Canada will not hinder its participation in the conference. Canada continues to be an “important partner” in the IPACC journey, said Rai. He pointed out that diplomatic efforts and military engagement with Canada persist, echoing the approach taken with neighboring countries, including China.

Diplomatic Tensions Between Canada and India

The recent diplomatic tensions between Canada and India arose when Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau suggested a “potential link” between Indian government agents and the killing of Khalistani leader Hardeep Singh Nijjar in June. This led to tit-for-tat expulsions of senior diplomats from both nations. While Trudeau emphasized that Canada did not seek to provoke or escalate the situation, concerns linger about the impact of this dispute on defense relations.

IPAMS and SELF Forums: Building Common Perspectives

In addition to IPACC, the Indo-Pacific Armies Management Seminar (IPAMS) and Senior Enlisted Leaders Forum (SELF) will be held concurrently. These events offer a unique opportunity to “build common perspectives towards a shared vision” and foster partnerships across the Indo-Pacific, according to Army Vice Chief Lieutenant General MV Suchindra Kumar.

India’s Defense Exports on Display

At IPACC, the Indian Army will showcase a range of indigenous weapons and systems, with the aim of exploring export opportunities. Major General Abhinaya Rai highlighted the focus on self-reliance in the defense manufacturing sector, with approximately 30 Indian vendors exhibiting their products at the conference. These products will span from drones to advanced towed artillery gun systems.

India’s Ambitious Defense Export Target

India has set an ambitious defense export target of ₹35,000 crore by 2024-25. Notably, military exports have surged, while imports have decreased due to policy initiatives and reforms over the past nine years. Between 2013-14 and 2022-23, exports grew by a staggering 23 times, from ₹686 crore to ₹16,000 crore. Meanwhile, spending on foreign weapons and systems as a percentage of total expenditure dropped from 46% in 2018-19 to 36.7% in December 2022.

VoM News Desk

VoM News is an online web portal in jammu Kashmir offers regional, National & global news.