Kolkata: Calling the escalating situation in the Gulf “quite complex”, defence minister Rajnath Singh said that “abnormality is now becoming the new Normal”.
“The current situation has become quite complex, and it seems it will become even more dynamic in the future. The way different countries are competing with each other on land, in the air, at sea, and now even in space is truly a matter of concern for all of us. What worries me even more is that this abnormality is becoming the new normal,” Singh said while addressing the maritime conclave ‘Sagar Sankalp’ in Kolkata on Friday.
He pointed to how the Strait of Hormuz – the chokepoint that carries around a fifth of the world’s oil supply – or the entire Persian Gulf region is a “crucial area” for global energy security, as reported by NDTV.
Iran has effectively shut down the Strait of Hormuz, announcing that only Chinese vessels will be allowed to pass through the crucial shipping lane.
“When there is a disruption or interruption in this region, it directly impacts the supply of oil and gas. These uncertainties directly impact the economy and global trade,” Singh said, acknowledging the global energy supply chain disruption.
“Earlier, the seas were considered only a medium of trade, but today we can see them becoming a centre of strategic dominance. A change is taking place at a global level, old stereotypes, global orders and beliefs are breaking, and we have to understand these uncertainties. The current situation in the Middle East is a burning example of this. What is happening there is very uncommon, and it is difficult to give a concrete prediction about how the situation will change there or in our neighbourhood,” he added.
Singh said that it is India’s responsibility to provide leadership in the maritime sector amid the changing geopolitical equations and uncertainties. ‘Self-reliance’ is the only way to counter the supply chain disruptions, he added.
“In this era of changing global geopolitics, oceans have once again come to the centre of the world’s power balance. At such a time, as a major maritime nation, it is India’s responsibility to provide leadership with confidence, capability, and a clear vision,” the defence minister said.
“In the Defence sector today, high-end and precision technologies are being utilised, and therefore, our government has, from the very beginning, believed that in this era of uncertainty, the only way to avoid supply chain disruptions is ‘self-reliance’. And one of the major pillars of our vision for self-reliance is Defence Public Sector Undertakings,” Singh added.
