India on Saturday called for a regional framework for security management to peacefully resolve disputes, threat and use of force in the Indo-Pacific region.
Defence Minister Manohar Parrikar in his address at the 15th Shangri-La Dialogue in Singapore touched on the South China Sea and stressed that India does not take positions on territorial disputes which should be resolved peacefully without threat or use of force.
Mr Parrikar, however, said that India firmly upholds freedom of navigation and over flights in accordance with international law, in particular the UN convention on law of sea.
The Defence Minister also called for collective efforts to tackle terrorism which remains the foremost challenge to the region.
He said, collective action and cooperation is the way forward to deal with the maritime threat, like terrorism, piracy and natural disaster.
Mr Parrikar added that such cooperation will build trust and confidence.