India, Sept. 30 -- Defence Minister Rajnath Singh said on Tuesday, "India stands firm as the First Responder, Preferred Security Partner and as a symbol of trust and reliability in the Indian Ocean Region, and the entire world is witnessing the growth of both our strategic position and our strategic responsibility in the region."

Making these observations while addressing the Indian Navy's biannual Commanders' Conference in New Delhi, he also said, "Today, issues such as congestion, deception, and grey-zone activities have made our maritime domain far more complex than ever before. Hence, we must elevate our monitoring and response mechanisms to a new level."

Rajnath asserted that the presence of Indian warships extends to the South Chi...