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‘IOR Can’t Be Viewed in Isolation to Wider Maritime Space’

The Navy chief further recalled the important steps taken in the previous maritime conclaves…reports Asian Lite News

Indian Navy Chief Admiral Hari Kumar on Tuesday said that the Indian Ocean Region (IOR) cannot be viewed in isolation from wider maritime space around the globe.

Addressing at 4th Goa Maritime Conclave, Navy Chief Hari Kumar said,” In all of these endeavours, the Indian Ocean Region cannot be viewed in isolation to wider maritime space around the globe, and this uniting characteristic of oceans was reflected by our Defence Minister during his Key Note Address.”

“Hence, my suggestion would be about rationalising and prioritising our efforts under numerous other bilateral, minilateral and multilateral constructs in the IOR be it the Indian Ocean Naval Symposium, Indian Ocean Rim Association, Colombo Security Conclave, among many others,” he added.

The Navy chief further recalled the important steps taken in the previous maritime conclaves.

“Identification and promulgation of Common Maritime Priorities (CMPs) during GMC 21 was a logical and crucial first step in that direction. The adoption of CMPs has been a milestone ‘Statement of Intent, and a guiding beacon in our collective undertakings under the GMC construct Building on that consensus, GMS 22 concentrated on action-oriented deliberations and has laid a strong foundation for us to convert these Priorities into tangible and actionable mitigation frameworks,” he said.

He further pointed out that Goa Maritime Conclave should move forward with an approach that is based on the execution of ideas.

“GMC needs to be a truly functional platform that, not only provokes thoughts and ideas, but also generates collective solutions to our regional problems. Accordingly, as executors of GMC’s initiatives, it would be our collective responsibility to successfully implement derived action plans, and establish GMC as the ideal construct to design and deliver maritime security in the Indian Ocean Region,”

The three-day conclave, which commenced on October 29, 2023, was attended by Delegate in Charge of Defence, Comoros Mohamed Ali Youssoufa and Chiefs of Navies/Heads of Maritime Forces/Senior representatives from eleven other Indian Ocean nations – Bangladesh, Indonesia, Madagascar, Malaysia, Maldives, Mauritius, Myanmar, Seychelles, Singapore, Sri Lanka and Thailand.

The theme for this fourth edition is ‘Maritime Security in the Indian Ocean Region: Converting Common Maritime Priorities into Collaborative Mitigating Frameworks’. (ANI)

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India-France-UAE trilateral gains steam

India, France, UAE discuss cooperation in trilateral framework, to promote compatibility and co-production in defence sector

Noting that defence is an area of close cooperation, Foreign Ministers of India, France and UAE have decided that efforts will be undertaken to further promote compatibility, joint development and co-production while seeking out avenues for further collaboration and training defence forces of the three countries.

External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar, France Foreign Minister Catherine Colonna and the United Arab Emirates (UAE) Foreign Minister Abdullah bin Zayed Al Nahyan held a phone call in which they discussed collaboration in areas such as education, business, maritime and green energy. “Discussed convergences and further collaboration in education, business, maritime, culture and green energy for a stable peaceful and prosperous Indo-Pacific,” Jaishankar said in a tweet.

The three foreign ministers had met for the first time in a trilateral format in September last year on the margins of the United Nations General Assembly in New York.

They agreed to establish a formal trilateral cooperation initiative, with the aim of expanding cooperation in various fields of mutual interest in acknowledgement of their shared desire to promote international stability and prosperity, and to further build upon the constructive and collaborative ties that exist between the three countries.

It is in this context that a phone call between the three Ministers was held on Saturday to adopt a roadmap for the implementation of this initiative.

During the phone call, the three sides agreed that the trilateral initiative will serve as a forum to promote the design and execution of cooperation projects in the fields of energy, with a focus on solar and nuclear energy, as well as in the fight against climate change and the protection of biodiversity, particularly in the Indian Ocean region, a joint statement said.

For this purpose, the three countries will explore the possibility of working with the Indian Ocean Rim Association (IORA) to pursue concrete, actionable projects on clean energy, the environment, and biodiversity, a statement said.

It said the trilateral initiative will serve as a platform to expand cooperation between the three countries’ development agencies on sustainable projects.

The three countries agreed that they will seek to ensure greater alignment of their respective economic, technological, and social policies with the objectives of the Paris Agreement.

“In support of these endeavours, a range of trilateral events will be organized in the framework of the Indian Presidency of the G20 and the UAE’s hosting of COP-28 in 2023, respectively,” the statement said.

The three countries also agreed to expand their cooperation through initiatives such as the Mangrove Alliance for Climate led by the UAE and the Indo-Pacific Parks Partnership led by India and France.

It was agreed that the three countries should seek to focus on key issues such as single-use plastic pollution, desertification, and food security in the context of the International Year of Millets-2023. The three sides also underlined their keen desire to cooperate in the field of the circular economy under the aegis of India’s Mission LiFE.

“It was acknowledged that defence is an area of close cooperation between the three countries. Therefore, efforts will be undertaken to further promote compatibility, and joint development and co-production, whilst seeking out avenues for further collaboration and training between the three countries’ defence forces,” the statement said.

The three countries will seek to strengthen exchanges of views on emerging threats from infectious diseases, as well as on measures to fight against future pandemics.

“In this regard, cooperation in multilateral organizations such as World Health Organization (WHO), Gavi-the Vaccine Alliance, the Global Fund, and Unitaid will be encouraged,” the statement said.

The three countries will also attempt to identify tangible cooperation on implementing the “One Health” approach, and support the development of local capacities in biomedical innovation and production within developing countries.

As countries at the very forefront of technological innovation, the development of trilateral cooperation between relevant academic and research institutions and efforts to promote co-innovation projects, technology transfer, and entrepreneurship will be encouraged, the statement said.

“In this context, trilateral conferences and meetings on the sidelines of high-level technology events such as Vivatech, Bengaluru Tech Summit, and GITEX will be arranged to support such cooperation,” it added.

The statement said that in recognition of the critical role social and human bonds play in their constructive partnership, France, India, and the UAE will ensure that this trilateral initiative will be leveraged as a platform to promote cultural cooperation, through a range of joint projects, including heritage promotion and protection. (ANI)

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India reaffirms commitment to peace in IOR region

IORA is the largest and pre-eminent organization in the Indian Ocean Region with 23 Members and 10 Dialogue Partners…reports Asian Lite News

Participating in the 22nd Council of Ministers’ meeting of the Indian Ocean Rim Association (IORA) on Thursday, India expressed its commitment to promoting peace, security and prosperity in the region.

In his remarks during the meeting in Dhaka, Bangladesh on Thursday, Minister of State (MoS) for External Affairs Rajkumar Ranjan Singh “reaffirmed India’s strong commitment to strengthening of IORA to promote peace, security and prosperity in IOR as well as in the wider Indo-Pacific,” the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) said.

The ministers who attended the meeting also endorsed India’s candidature for IORA Vice-Chair for the period 2023-25 by consensus, the MEA added.

IORA is the largest and pre-eminent organization in the Indian Ocean Region with 23 Members and 10 Dialogue Partners.

The Minister of State highlighted India’s contributions as coordinator of the IORA priority areas of Disaster Risk Management (DRM) and Science, Technology & Innovation towards capacity building and strengthening of IORA Secretariat. India is setting up an eOffice at the IORA Secretariat.

According to the MEA, he also announced provision of e-subscription by India to Mahatma Gandhi Library at IORA Secretariat. In the face of current global challenges to our climate, food and energy security, MoS Singh highlighted India’s initiatives of LiFE – Lifestyle for Environment and International Year of Millet in 2023.

The meeting adopted the ‘IORA’s Outlook on the Indo-Pacific’ (IOIP) which would guide enhancement of IORA’s engagement in the Indo-Pacific region. India led the process of development of the IOIP.

The Dhaka Communique was adopted as the Outcome Document of the 22nd COM Meeting, the MEA said. (India News Network)

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India, Iran bat for secure IOR to promote trade, connectivity

They focused on ensuring effective maritime security in the IOR with Iran amplifying the need to secure the region to carry out economic activity in trade and the movement of goods…reports Asian Lite News

The importance of the Indian Ocean, its straits and waterways for the continued growth of all nations, especially the regional countries, was discussed extensively at the third meeting of the Indian Ocean Naval Symposium (IONS) working group held in Tehran under the co-chairmanship of Indian Navy, earlier this week.

The IONS is a voluntary initiative that seeks to increase maritime cooperation among navies of the littoral states of the Indian Ocean Region (IOR) by providing an open and inclusive forum for discussion of regionally relevant maritime issues.

Representatives of the naval forces of India, host Iran, Thailand, Bangladesh, Pakistan, and Oman attended the maritime security working group meeting held in the Iranian capital from October 17 to 19.

They focused on ensuring effective maritime security in the IOR with Iran amplifying the need to secure the region to carry out economic activity in trade and the movement of goods.

Iranian media quoted Commodore Babak Baloch, deputy chief of the country’s navy for coordination, as saying that economic security has become the “most serious” concern of governments in the region.

“Having direct access to open waters for littoral states is considered a great opportunity for progress, the correct exploitation of which will lead to an increase in national wealth and prosperity, and this will be achieved in the shadow of stable and all-around security,” said Baloch.

“There is a direct relationship between the gross national product (GNP) of countries and security, so countries are trying to increase their gross national product by taking the necessary measures and decisions, which is a requirement of this economic activity in trade and movement of goods,” he added.

Significantly, Iran will be opening up international maritime security cooperation centres in Konarak, Sistan, and Baluchestan province, southeastern Iran, with the presence of participating members to strengthen and stabilize security in the seas.

India has always maintained deep cultural and economic ties with the region and remains an important stakeholder in the security architecture and development initiatives in the IOR.

New Delhi has also called for exploiting the full potential of Chabahar port – being developed by India in Iran – for trade between the countries of the region.

It also continues to highlight the important role that the Shahid Beheshti Terminal at Chabahar Port plays as a commercial transit hub for the landlocked countries in Central Asia.

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