Rajnath Singh inaugurates 13th Indo-Pacific Army Chiefs Conference in New Delhi

The three-day (25 and 27 September 2023) Indo-Pacific Armies Chiefs Conference (IPACC) is being held at the Manekshaw Centre, New Delhi.

Defense Minister Rajnath Singh delivered the inaugural address of the 13th Indo-Pacific Chiefs of Staff Conference (IPACC) in New Delhi on September 26, 2023.

• Chief of Defense Staff, Army Chief General Manoj Pandey and chiefs and representatives of armies of 35 countries were also present on the occasion.
• Rajnath Singh said that the Indo-Pacific has developed as an important geopolitical region. The region is facing complex security challenges such as border disputes and piracy.
• The Indian Army is also co-hosting the 47th Indo-Pacific Armies Management Seminar (IPAMS) and Senior Enlisted Leaders Forum (SELF) along with the 13th IPACC.

Theme of IPACC:

• The main theme of this forum is 'Together for Peace: Sustaining Peace and Stability in the Indo-Pacific Region'.

Importance of Indo-Pacific region:

• The Indo-Pacific region is home to 64 percent of the world's people.
• This sector contributes 63 percent to the GDP.
• This sector contributes 46 percent of total global trade.
• The Indo-Pacific region unquestionably plays an important role in the world economy.

Climate change concerns highlighted:

• During this IPACC conference, Defense Minister Rajnath Singh discussed issues related to climate change of small countries of the Indo-Pacific region, demand for climate change-friendly infrastructure, solutions to global challenges, etc.

IPACC Organizers:

• The Indo-Pacific Armies Chiefs Conference (IPACC) was initiated in 1999 by the United States Army to discuss issues of mutual interest among the military chiefs of countries that share mutual interests.
• IPACC is a biennial event co-hosted by the United States Army with the co-host country.
• This year, the Indian Army is the co-host of IPACC.

IPACC Participating Countries:

• Army chiefs and delegations from a total of 35 countries participated in this program.

Objectives of IPACC:

• The objective of the conference is to develop a common strategy to ensure peace, prosperity and stability in the Asia-Pacific region against the growing Chinese threat.
• The conference will discuss the role of military diplomacy in crisis situations, enhancing cooperation and interoperability among the armed forces of the region.

Indo-Pacific Armies Management Seminar (IPAMS):

• Hosted annually by US Army Pacific with a co-host country. It is one of the largest gatherings of armies in the region.

Background:

• The Indian and US armies are co-hosting the 13th IPACC, 47th IPAMS and 9th SELF, a three-day conference of chiefs of service and representatives of 35 nations in New Delhi from 25 to 27 September 2023.
• The conference will provide an opportunity to the Service Chiefs and senior Army leaders primarily from the Indo-Pacific region to exchange views and discuss security and contemporary issues.
• The main endeavor of the Forum will be to promote peace and stability in the Indo-Pacific region through mutual understanding, dialogue and friendship among the littoral partners.

United States Secretary of Defence: Lloyd Austin

Important full forms for the exam:

• IPACC: Indo-Pacific Armies Chiefs Conference
• IPAMS: Indo-Pacific Armies Management Seminar
• SELF: Senior Enlisted Leaders Forum