indian ocean – Central News Hub

Sri Lanka Fully Aware Of India’s Security Concerns: Envoy

Sri Lankan envoy has assured that the country pays a great deal of attention towards the evolving scenarios in the Indian Ocean and Indo-Pacific.

Sri Lanka’s High Commissioner to India Milinda Moragoda has reiterated that the island country is fully aware of the security concerns of India and assured that it pays a great deal of attention towards the evolving scenarios in the Indian Ocean and Indo-Pacific.

Moragoda said this on August 30 while describing about the regional dynamics and developments in the Indian Ocean at a lecture on topic ‘India-Sri Lanka Relations: Promoting Connectivity, Catalysing Prosperity’ at the Ananta Centre, New Delhi, Sri Lanka Foreign Ministry in Colombo said in a statement.

During his address, High Commissioner Moragoda elaborated on the broad contours that define the unique characteristics of the past and present dynamics of India-Sri Lanka relationship, and the way forward.

The Foreign Ministry said that the High Commissioner explained as to how the relationship between the two nations has grown from a transactional perspective to a special relationship in recent years.

He said the current economic stabilisation efforts underway in Sri Lanka, and emphasised that the two nations would heavily focus on connectivity and investment founded on a promising economic integration road-map that was agreed upon during the recent visit of the Sri Lankan President Ranil Wickremesinghe.

Moragoda also underscored the importance of driving the five key facets mapped in the ‘India-Sri Lanka Economic Partnership Vision’ document, and highlighted that they would remain as the key enablers in elevating the existing relationship into a new level.

In July, during the first visit to India after assuming office as President, Wickremesinghe who had talks with Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi signed ‘India-Sri Lanka Economic Partnership Vision’ which included a series of agreements on energy, trade and connectivity projects.

ALSO READ: India Seeks Reconciliation for Lankan Tamil Aspirations

Iran, China and Russia hold joint naval drill in Indian Ocean

Iran, China and Russia have launched a joint naval exercise in the Indian Ocean, with the aim of boosting marine security…reports Asian Lite News

Iran’s state TV said that 11 of its vessels have been joined by three Russian ships, including a destroyer, and two Chinese vessels.

Iran’s Revolutionary Guard will also participate with smaller ships and helicopters.

The military exercise comes at a time of heightened tension between Russia and the West over Moscow’s build-up of some 100,000 troops on its border with Ukraine.

Russia is also being joined by China and Iran — two nations which are at loggerheads with the West, with Beijing recently accused of sending a spy to the heart of the UK Parliament — the report said.

The joint naval exercise will cover some 6,560 square miles (17,000 square kilometres) in the Indian Ocean’s north, and include night fighting, rescue operations and firefighting drills.

ALSO READ: Raisi: Iran seeks “maximum interaction” with all countries

“The purpose of this exercise is to strengthen security and its foundations in the region, and to expand multilateral cooperation between the three countries to jointly support world peace, maritime security and create a maritime community with a common future,” Iran’s Rear Admiral Mostafa Tajoldini, spokesman for the drills, told Iranian state TV.

This is the third joint naval drill between the countries since 2019. It coincided with a recent visit by Iran’s hardline President Ebrahim Raisi to Russia.

“Improving bilateral relations between Tehran and Moscow will enhance security for the region and the international arena,” Raisi said upon returning from Russia on Friday, the official IRNA news agency reported.