Defence Minister Rajnath Singh on Monday called for establishing multinational collaborative mitigation frameworks in the Indian Ocean Region to effectively tackle common maritime challenges such as climate change, piracy, terrorism, drug-trafficking, overfishing and freedom of commerce on high seas.
Making this assertion in his keynote address at the fourth edition of Goa Maritime Conclave (GMC) in Panaji, he also emphasised that common maritime priorities need to be addressed cooperatively by avoiding selfish interests that make the region less secure and less prosperous.
He underlined the importance of respecting the international maritime laws, as enunciated in the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS) 1982.
The three-day conclave, which commenced on Sunday is being 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.
“A free, open and rule-based maritime order is a priority for all of us. ‘Might is right’ has no place in such a maritime order. Adherence to international laws and agreements must be our lodestar. Our narrow immediate interests may tempt us to flout or disregard the well-established international law, but doing so would lead to the breakdown of our civilised maritime relations.
Our common security and prosperity cannot be preserved without all of us committing to cooperatively adhering to the legitimate maritime rules of engagement. Fair rules of engagement are crucial for fostering collaboration and ensuring that no single country dominates others in a hegemonic manner,” Rajnath said.
His observation that ‘might is right’ has no place in maritime order and fair rules of engagement are crucial for fostering collaboration and ensuring that no single country dominates others were seen as an oblique reference to China’s aggressive muscle-flexing in the Indo-Pacific.
On climate change, the defence minister said the collaborative mitigation framework can involve the countries working together to reduce carbon emissions and transition to sustainable practices.
He pointed out that the world could overcome this problem if all countries accepted the responsibility to cut emissions by investing in green economy and share technology and capital with the needy countries.
Rajnath also referred to Illegal, Unreported and Unregulated (IUU) fishing, a challenge which relates to resource over-exploitation.
“IUU fishing endangers ocean ecosystems and sustainable fishery. It also threatens our economic security and regional and global food security.
A multinational collaborative effort for compilation and sharing of surveillance data is the need of the hour.
It will help in identifying actors with irregular or threatening behaviour, which will have to be countered resolutely,” he said. To put in place these mitigation frameworks, Rajnath called for collaboration, and sharing of resources and expertise among nations.
Speaking on the occasion, Minister of State for External Affairs Meenakashi Lekhi batted for cooperation among IOR nations to ensure peace and prosperity in the region. Underscoring the importance of IOR, she lauded the Indian Navy for protecting the nation’s maritime interests and being the first responder in the region in times of crisis.
In his address, Navy chief Admiral R Hari Kumar emphasised the changing nature of threats, both traditional and non-traditional and those emanating from the sea.
