Willing to challenge status quo if it becomes tool of exploitation: Rajnath Singh

New Delhi, Nov 05: India committed to respecting various agreements with China for maintenance of peace along borders, Defence Minister, Rajnath Singh said.

Amidst the border row with China, the Defence Minister also said, India determined to protect its sovereignty, territorial integrity in face of unilateralism and aggression. Peace can only be ensured through ability to deter war; We have attempted to build deterrence through capability development, Singh further added. Singh made the comments at the National Defence College on its 60th anniversary.

On Pakistan, Rajnath said that the country continues to remain adamant in the use of terrorism as a state policy.

He further added that India has undertaken a three-pronged approach towards, internal security challenges including development of areas affected by terrorism and provision of justice to aggrieved. We are will to challenge status quo if it becomes a tool for exploitation of helpless citizens and provisions of governance, Singh further added.

The last six years provide a blueprint for India's approach towards national security over the next decade. Let me try and outline four broad principles that are likely to guide our quest for national security in the future.

Based on these principles, we have brought about drastic changes in our security policy which are oriented towards strong, legally and morally tenable actions. We are cognizant of the fact that India's stability and security are closely associated with the ability to grow economically at a desirable rate, Singh said.

Our interests to secure trade routes, shipping lines of communication, fishing rights and communication networks also require the ability to contribute to the global effort, to maintain open and free oceans, he also said.

India has fostered close relationships and partnerships with like-minded friends to further the common interests of countries in the region and beyond. Our strategic partnership with the United States is stronger than ever before. India also has strong, traditional and deep-rooted relations with Russia. Our two countries have weathered many a challenge in the past through our close understanding and appreciation of each other's concerns and interests, he further said while adding that relations with Australia, France and Israel are also very strong.

With the exception of Pakistan, given its agenda of fuelling terrorism, India has improved its relations with all neighbours. We have invested heavily to help and support our friends to forge a relationship of mutual-respect and mutual-interest.

Recently, India has been facing other challenges on its borders. India is a peace-loving country. We believe that differences should not become disputes. We attach importance to the peaceful resolution of differences through dialogue, Rajnath Singh also said.