Terming vital priority for India’s foreign policy, EAM Sushma Swaraj calls for peace and stability in Indian Ocean

NewsBharati    28-Aug-2018
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Vietnam, August 28: Maritime connection has strengthened many ties between countries and has even helped in linking defense and security. Indicating that the seas around India have nurtured its links of commerce and culture with its extended neighborhood overages, Indian External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj on Monday said that fostering a climate of peace and stability in this region is an important priority for New Delhi’s foreign policy.

Sushma Swaraj said while addressing the Third Indian Ocean Conference said, "The Indian Ocean was known as 'Ratnakali' or ocean of treasures'. Our vision of the region is of collective cooperation and coordination. Therefore, nurturing a climate of peace and stability is an important priority for our foreign policy. We have to commit to the idea of peaceful co-existence."

Reiterating Prime Minister Narendra Modi's vision of a free and inclusive Indo-Pacific region, Sushma Swaraj insisted that it is important to build a central vision for the region. She stressed the fact that the countries which come under the Indo-Pacific region should strive to work to ensure peace and prosperity are attained in the Indian Ocean. She further underlined that over the years, India's approach to the region matured into a broader strategic engagement with the help of ASEAN.

 

Terming the Indian Ocean as a center of 'emerging age of Asia', Swaraj stated that the economic importance of the ocean maintains a key strategic importance while adding that the Indo-Pacific region is host to some of the world's busiest waterways. Talking about the maritime challenges in the region, Swaraj clarified, "Security is an old and compassing concept and includes traditional, non-traditional and newly emerging threats. These include maritime terrorism, smuggling, transnational crimes, drug trafficking, illegal unreported and unregulated fishing, piracy and un-regulation of private maritime security companies and proliferation of sensitive items. This is further compounded by natural disasters, climate change and oil spills, which our region is highly prone to."

The EAM said that such diverse nature of challenges requires effective partnerships at both regional and multilateral level. Stressing that India considers Indian-Ocean Rim Association (IORA) as an instrument for achieving peace and security in the region, Swaraj continued, "We are supportive of the invigoration of these activities including the blue economy and renewable energy. The focus of IORA on maritime safety and security promotes a sheer understanding of maritime issues. It helps to develop a cooperative mechanism. We will enhance a regional HADR (Humanitarian Assistance And Disaster Relief) capacity in cases of natural disasters and crisis. We share a common vision for Indo-Pacific (region)."

Reiterating Prime Minister Modi's 'SAGAR' vision, which stands for Security and Growth for All in the Region, Swaraj listed three approaches saying, "Projects to promote hinterland linkages and structural regional connectivity, making South Asia to South-East Asia under the Act East Policy and and the Gulf under the Think West Policy, and lastly, playing an active n constructive role in strategic maritime security."

Sushma Swaraj underscored that India and Vietnam shared all concerns of the maritime issues and agreed to cooperate in the domain, including anti-piracy, security of sea lanes and exchanging of white shipping information.

EAM Sushma Swaraj, who is currently on a five-day visit to Vietnam and Cambodia, further went on to say that a precisive and a collective approach is required to develop the Indo-Pacific region to its true potential.