Like minded nations must come together to tackle emerging challenges in maritime domain: Raksha Mantri
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Panjim, November 2: Raksha Mantri Nirmala Sitharaman has pitched for the like-minded nations to join hands to evolve and formulate collective responses to emerging challenges in the maritime domain. The Defense Minister said that the Indian Ocean Region (IOR) has progressively gained center-stage largely due to the political impact of its regional dynamics on international geopolitics.
Sitharaman was speaking at the inaugural session of the Goa Maritime Conclave (GMC) on Wednesday. The conclave was aimed at ‘Addressing Regional Maritime Challenges’. Emerging maritime threats and maritime security challenges in the Indian Ocean Region (IOR) were the agendas to be focused on.
On this occasion, the minister said: “GMC would also provide an opportunity to communicate our viewpoints in a forthright manner and collectively shape a favorable maritime environment for all countries in the region.”
“Whilst it is good that the compulsions of globalization have enabled economics to shape transactional relationships between nations, opaqueness in strategic intent and incoherent behavior by certain nations are preventing these very relationships from evolving beyond their transactional nature.” She added.
The unresolved borders and riparian disputes are the key causes of the conflict between the nations so comprehensive infrastructure, equipping the force with technology and investing in quality training will ensure maritime security in IOR.
The Raksha Mantri recommended that evaluation of the impact of emerging maritime security architectures on overcoming maritime security challenges. She suggested shaping a discourse in the region in order to work out the differences and capitalize on commonalities so as to ensure maritime security in IOR.
Sitharaman pointed out that to evolve customised solutions to the challenges, rather than importing extra-regional solutions and force-fit them on to the regional template, the proper way should be to tap considerable intellectual capital resident in the region.
While delivering the inaugural address, Chief of the Naval Staff Admiral Sunil Lanba stressed on creation of comprehensive infrastructure, equipping the force with technology and investing in quality training while exercising financial prudence. He also said that by making large and long-term financial commitments to counter specific threats from perceived adversaries may not necessarily yield the desired results in the future.
Defense scholars and practitioners such as Admiral Arun Prakash (Retd) of India, Admiral Dr Jayanth Colombage (Retd) of Sri Lanka, Admiral Md Khurshed Alam of Bangladesh, Professor Ashley J Tellis, Dr C Raja Mohan, Professor Harsh V Pant and Dr Christian Bueger participated in the Goa Maritime Conclave.