Defence minister Rajnath Singh on Friday identified a range of threats in India’s neighbourhood, including “terrorism, cross-border support to extremist elements, attempts to alter the status quo”, and said such complex challenges demanded constant vigilance and absolute clarity of purpose.

“Our armed forces are a driving force that allows India to deal with its neighbourhood challenges while contributing to regional stability,” he said on the concluding day at the Chanakya Defence Dialogue organised by the Indian Army here.

Without naming Pakistan and China, Rajnath said: “India lives in a region where challenges emerge in many forms — terrorism, cross-border support to extremist elements, attempts to alter the status quo, maritime pressures and even information warfare.”

India has long accused Pakistan of using cross-border terrorism as state policy against the country. China has been accused of unilaterally changing the status quo in eastern Ladakh and occupying nearly 1,000sqkm of India-claimed territory since May 2020.

“India has always believed in peace and dialogue and we remain committed to that approach. But let me say clearly, when it comes to our sovereignty and the security of our people, we do not compromise,” Rajnath said.

The country, he said, had become a “voice of balance and responsibility” in the current global environment.

“India’s economic growth, technological capabilities, and principled foreign policy have made it a voice of balance and responsibility in the changing global environment, with countries across the Indo-Pacific and the Global South viewing us as a reliable partner,” he said.

He said reforms were becoming a strategic necessity rather than a choice as they strengthened the adaptability of institutions, enhanced the agility of the armed forces, and gave the nation the confidence to shape its own destiny.

“We are strengthening border and maritime infrastructure to support security and connectivity. We are modernising our forces through new platforms, technologies, and structures. We are reforming procurement processes to ensure speed, transparency and accountability,” Rajnath said. “India is investing in start-ups, deep-tech capabilities, and research and development that will shape the battlefields of the future.”

The armed forces, he said, were the strongest pillar of the nation’s resilience, stressing that their capability, readiness, restraint and firmness enabled India to deal with its neighbourhood challenges while contributing to regional stability.

Rajnath also launched Project Ekam, a strategic initiative to develop indigenous artificial intelligence solutions for the military. It seeks to provide complete control over data security, tailored solutions to military terminology, operational doctrines and specific data sets, the defence ministry said.