“We’re here to build relationships from Army to Army…”: Canada’s Deputy Army Chief on India-Canada row

New Delhi [India]: Canada’s Deputy Army Chief Major General Peter Scott said that Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau’s statement over the killing of Hardeep Singh Nijjar does not impact the Canadian Army contingents presence here at the Indo-Pacific Conference and they are here to build relationships from army to army and let both governments deal with it.

“I am fully aware of, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau’s statement. The government’s stance and the government’s request for India to participate in, and cooperate in the investigation.

But, really, that has no impact on us here at the Indo-Pacific conference. We’re really here to build relationships from army to army, and we’ll let our governments deal with that issue, themselves,” Major General Scott said.

Canadian Deputy Army Chief Major General Peter Scott is currently attending the 13th biannual Indo-Pacific Armies Chiefs Conference (IPACC).

Expressing his delight, Scott said that Canada is looking forward to participating in training or exercises with the partners in the Indo-Pacific region.

“We’re very grateful to be here as part of the Indo-Pacific Armies Chiefs Conference (IPAC), 2023. Canada continues to look for opportunities where we can participate in training or exercises with partners in the Indo-Pacific region,” he said.

He further said that this conference provides a forum where they can meet with other leaders of other nations of similar interests.

“We’re very happy to be here and very gracious for India to be hosting this,” he added.
Scott highlighted that between the India-Canada armies, areas of interest can be found and perhaps areas to continue to train, to exchange officers, to look for education opportunities, and exercises, “where we continue to participate as two different armies where we can both learn from each other and pass on great lessons to each nation.”

Major General Peter Scott also highlighted his meeting with the Indian army commander general Manoj Pande on Monday.

“Last night, I had the honour of meeting personally your army commander. We chatted for a few minutes. He’s very grateful for Canada to be here, and I mentioned him,” he said.

The armies of India and the United States are hosting the 13th biannual Indo-Pacific Armies Chiefs Conference (IPACC), the 47th annual Indo-Pacific Army Management Seminar (IPAMS), the 9th Senior Enlisted Forum at the Manekshaw Center in the national capital from September 25-27.

The gathering is notably the largest conference for land forces (army, marines, etc.) in the region.

The objective of these meetings is to promote peace and stability in the Indo-Pacific region through mutual understanding, dialogue, and friendship.

Speaking at the conference Army Chief General Manoj Pande stressed on the fact that the security of one nation in the region was linked to its neighbour.

“The challenges we face transcend across borders, and our response to them must factor this. The Indo-Pacific region is not merely a collection of nations – it is a web of interdependencies. We are bound by geography, and our destinies are intertwined.

The security and prosperity of one nation is intrinsically linked to the security and prosperity of its neighbours, and much beyond” General Pande said.

This year’s conference’s theme is “Together for Peace: Sustaining Peace and Stability in the Indo-Pacific Region.”There will be both larger plenary sessions and more intimate break-out sessions at the conference.

Participants will take part in vibrant conversations on subjects including peacekeeping operations, humanitarian aid/disaster relief, leadership development, and women’s emancipation as well as hear from eminent guest speakers.

Participation in IPAMS has grown from nine nations at the first conference held in Honolulu, Hawaii in 1977, to 31 nations in Seoul, Korea in 2017.