HYDERABAD: Defence Minister Pranab Mukherjee said on Thursday that India did not have ambitions to expand its territorial boundaries at the cost of its neighbours.

Nor was it interested in exporting its ideology.

It had learnt to live in peace with neighbours, he said while delivering the valedictory address of the Higher Defence Management Course (Serial - 1) at the College of Defence Management (CDM) here.

Ninety-two officers of the rank of Colonel and equivalent from the three defence services and paramilitary organisations and three officers from Sri Lanka, Bangladesh and Botswana took part in the 10-month course for which the master's degree was awarded by Osmania University and a certificate by the All-India Management Association.

The Minister said India was primarily focussed on security, development, prosperity and well-being of its teeming millions. It needed a protracted period of sustained peace, free from any form of armed conflict, for the rapid development of the population.

A revolution was taking place in military affairs. It was spurred by a 20 per cent growth in overall knowledge in various fields, including science and technology. Dual-use technologies were appearing in commercial off-the-shelf applications world over. These added to the threats to the country and affected its responses.

Strategic partnership

Developing indigenous combat capability was a prerequisite in a climate of global insecurity. Thus, partnerships with industry and corporate sector could not be overlooked. Strategic partnership and fostering long-term industrial relationships would set the pace for defence and industry to explore and develop.

Stating that the defence was making efforts to move together with the private sector, he said the setting up of College of Industrial Resource Management, as part of the Indian National Defence University, would be a strategic initiative in cementing a parallel approach to developing indigenous force capabilities. Mr. Mukherjee said the university would be started shortly. The first part of the Bijoy Kelkar Committee report on opening up defence production to the private sector was being implemented, and the second part was being examined by the Government.

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