Seeking collaboration of Indian Ocean Region (IOR) countries to tackle terrorism, narcotics and unregulated fishing in the Indian Ocean, Union Defence Minister Rajnath Singh on Wednesday said India was ready to supply missiles and weapons systems to friendly countries in the IOR.
Addressing the IOR Plus Defence Ministers’ Conclave held on the sidelines of DefExpo 2022, Singh also drew parallels with the Russia-Ukrainian conflict to impress upon the need for stability in the Indian Ocean Region.
“Indian Ocean Region faces a myriad of challenges like piracy, drug trafficking, gun-running and other types of trafficking. The scale of narcotics smuggling in the Indian Ocean Region has seen a sharp rise. Recent interception of some vessels engaged in drug trafficking in the Northern Indian Ocean by Indian and other countries’ law enforcement authorities has revealed the presence of weapons on board. Drugs and weapons make a potent mix for the spread of terrorism,” Singh said.
“Illegal, under-reported and unregulated fishing is another challenge on which we need to collaborate upon,” he said, pointing out that large parts of the Indian Ocean Region remain out of the coverage of surveillance undertaken by Navy and Coast Guards.
“A multinational effort for compilation, collation and sharing of surveillance data, collected from diverse sources, that is satellite, radar and reconnaissance planes and human intelligence is needed. It will help in identifying actors with irregular or threatening behaviour which then will have to be countered resolutely,” he said.
“We have taken an initiative to develop a comprehensive maritime domain awareness in the Indian Ocean Region, which has resulted in signing of technical agreements for sharing of wide shipping information with many countries. Terrorism, exported, supported or coordinated through maritime routes, remains a major concern and India continues to guard against spread of terrorism by sea routes. Piracy has been suppressed in the western Indian Ocean with concerted international efforts and we have to continue our sustained efforts to tackle piracy in our own region,” he said.
Singh said India was ready to supply weapons to friendly countries in IOR to help counter the challenges faced in the region. “India is ready to supply various types of missile systems, light combat aircraft, helicopters, multipurpose light transport aircraft, warships and patrol vessels, gun systems, tanks, radars, military vehicles, electronic warfare systems and other weapon systems to friendly IOR countries,” he added.
References to the Russia-Ukraine war have been rare at DefExpo 2022 but the defence minister talked about the conflict to communicate the dangers posed. “When peace and security of a region is threatened, the entire world feels its impact in multiple ways. The recent Ukrainian conflict showed how its ripple effects could affect energy and food security for most vulnerable countries. Similarly, failing states pose a challenge not only to their region, but also to the world at large. Since these states may act as a nursery of terrorism, piracy and trafficking, we believe that engaging with our partner countries through forums like this allows us to appreciate each other’s concerns and help us to create a global order which is essential to all of us,” Singh said.
“We would like to reiterate that interdependence and state of dominance is the only way to keep this important trade and energy waterways stable. With half the world’s container shipment, one- third of its bulk cargo traffic and two-thirds of oil shipment being carried across it, the Indian Ocean is clearly a very important place in our international affairs,” he added.
Singh also called for “broader and deeper” disaster management collaboration between IOR countries.
