In a covert attack on China, which is exercising its regional muscles, India stated on Wednesday that a multilateral rules-based international order, coupled with genuine respect for sovereignty and territorial integrity, remains the cornerstone for resurrecting the Indian Ocean as a powerful community.
External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar stated that it is crucial to maintain the Indian Ocean as a free, open, and inclusive space based on the UN Convention on the Law of the Seas (UNCLOS), which is known as the Constitution of the Seas, during his remarks at the 23rd Council of Ministers Meeting of the Indian Ocean Rim Association (IORA) in Colombo.
At the key conference, India was elected to serve as the IORA’s Vice-Chair for the years 2023–25. Jaishankar said, ‘We will continue our approach of contributing to create capacity and secure safety and security in the Indian Ocean region, including as a first responder and a net security provider.’
‘A multilateral rules-based international order, along with sincere respect for sovereignty and territorial integrity remains the foundation for reviving the Indian Ocean as a strong community,’ he said.
The Indian Ocean, he claimed, occupies a key position in the resurgence of Asia and the global rebalancing, playing a significant role in the growth and prosperity of the littoral nations by supporting trade and sustaining livelihoods and providing vast opportunities for connectivity and resource exploitation.
‘It is the message of ‘Vasudhaiva Kutumbakam’ or ‘the world is one family’ which can be a binding force to bring the IORA Member States together,’ he said.
As the Troika’s vice chair and a member, India, according to Jaishankar, has clear priorities. ‘It is our effort to develop an Indian Ocean community that is stable and prosperous, strong and resilient, and which is able to cooperate closely within and to respond to happenings beyond the ocean,’ he stated.
He added that the spirit of 1971, to which his Sri Lankan colleague referred, should continue to guide our outlook, discouraging any hidden agendas to the contrary. ‘It is thus important to maintain the Indian Ocean as a free, open and inclusive space based on the UN Convention on the Law of the Seas (UNCLOS), as the Constitution of the Seas,’ he said.
In addition to engaging in hotly disputed territorial conflicts in both the South China Sea (SCS) and the East China Sea (ECS), China has been testing its military muscles in the strategically important region.
According to Jaishankar, the challenges we face include lack of robust connectivity, the burden of opaque and unsustainable debt resulting from unprofitable projects, threats to the social fabric posed by fundamentalism and extremism, dangers arising from terrorism, natural disasters, and climate change.
‘As the Vice-Chair for the next two years, India, the ‘vishwa mitra’ or the world’s friend, a voice of the Global South, will work with IORA Member States to strengthen the institutional, financial and legal framework of IORA, towards realising the true potential of this dynamic grouping,’ he said.
As a coordinating nation, he stated that India’s particular focus will be on Maritime Safety & Security and Blue Economy. According to the need, India would also contribute to other IORA priority and cross-cutting areas.
The meeting will be attended by 16 ministers, including the foreign ministers of Bangladesh, Iran, Mauritius, Malaysia, and South Africa. Jaishankar is one of them.
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