Indian Military

PUDUCHERRY: Chief of Army Staff V K Singh on Friday said the threat of terrorism should be tackled collectively by all countries of South Asia for a more stable environment for economic growth.

Inaugurating a two-day seminar on "India's role in South Asia: Strategic challenges and opportunities in 21st century", he referred to security dynamics country wise in the region, including Sri Lanka, which is looking at rehabilitating and resettling internally displaced persons during the LTTE-Sri Lankan Army conflict.

"The security situation will entirely depend on how these efforts succeed. If the majority community there is more magnanimous, takes greater interest in amalgamating the minority, we will find much more stability which ensures that security situation in our country remains all right," he said.

He said South Asia should adopt a collective approach for regional security and development, without which it would be very difficult for it to find its place in the world order.

"If we want South Asia as an entity to progress we should have mutual balance in exploitation of global commons. These are space, cyber space ocean and communications," he said.

The Army chief said social unrest, political revolution and violence driven by various separatist movements in some of the countries affect the entire region.

He said economic growth would give stability and ensure that this populous region has equitable wealth distribution, which would take people forward to areas of growth and development.

He said South Asia, like much of Europe, would soon find they may like to have much more free trade, which would ensure that markets could be used collectively by all nations.

"If we put more barriers, if we try to pull down each other in various practices that prevail, we will find it will only lead to mistrust and more harm than good," he said.

Pointing out that 'youth bulge' would be the next problem facing South Asia, he said studies had shown 95 per cent of increase in world population by 2025 would be in this region, affecting the way youth are tackled in terms of jobs and directing their energies for the gains a nation wants.

"If not tackled properly, it will bring in great pressure on these countries and ensure that progress wanted is retarded because we are not able to harness the workforce which will get directed into something that is not useful," he said.