While the Goa Maritime Conclave sought to project the Indian Navy’s cooperative engagement at the strategic-operational level, by providing a forum for the Chiefs-of-Navy and Heads of Maritime Agencies in the Indian Ocean Region, the IPRD, on the other hand, was the principal manifestation of the Navy’s international engagement at the strategic-level, addressing ‘holistic’ maritime security issues across the Indo-Pacific.

The first two editions of IPRD were held in 2018 and 2019 respectively at New Delhi.  IPRD 2020 was cancelled due to the Covid-19 outbreak. The third edition of IPRD was held in 2021 in online mode and the fourth edition was conducted, reverting to a physical format, at New Delhi in 2022.

Theme of IPRD-2023

The overarching theme of IPRD-2023 was “Geopolitical Impacts upon Indo-Pacific Maritime Trade and Connectivity”. This year’s edition of the IPRD built upon the previous one, which focussed upon ‘Operationalising the Indo-Pacific Oceans Initiative (IPOI)’, by specifically addressing the ‘Trade, Connectivity and Maritime Transport’ pillar of the IPOI.

IPRD-2023 explored geopolitical impacts upon Indo-Pacific maritime trade and connectivity through six professional sessions spread over a three-day period. 

The sessions were:

Nodes of maritime connectivity;

China’s impact vis-à-vis maritime connectivity across the Indo-Pacific;

Maritime connectivity through shipping and trade;

Maritime connectivity through shipping and trade (Part 2);

Private industry in the safety and security of Indo-Pacific maritime trade and shipping; and

Maintaining a rules-based, safe, and secure Indo-Pacific.

Eminent speakers from 16 countries and representatives of the various embassies and high commissions attended and offered diverse regional perspectives on the subject.

Navy Chief’s Address

Speaking at the Indo-Pacific Regional dialogue organised by the Indian Navy, navy chief Admiral R Hari Kumar said that violations of established rules pose a danger to good order at sea. He described the security situation in the South China Sea as “fragile.” He warned that the region is the most militarised in the world and a “contestation” at sea can have adverse economic and social consequences.

“The fragile security situation in the South China Sea, in addition to the happenings of violations of established codes of conduct or confidence building measures, pose a clear and present danger to good order and discipline at sea,” Admiral Kumar said.

The comments were a rare direct reference to the situation in the South China sea and come at a time when China and Pakistan are undertaking large-scale naval drills in the Arabian Sea.

He said that more than 50 warships of extra regional forces are deployed in the Indian Ocean Region on various missions, including anti-piracy patrols off the Gulf of Aden and the wider Indo-Pacific has a significant naval presence, which can lead to confrontation and contestation.

“Owing to the increased presence of multinational forces, and differing interpretations of international laws, there is this fear that the region’s ‘global commons’ can change to ‘contested seas’,” he said. The navy chief added that this contestation at sea “can have adverse consequences for security-physical, social as well as economic”.

Admiral Kumar made a case for greater collaboration between nations in the maritime nation. “We are traversing through a contested present into an uncertain future. The future of global commons hinges on cooperative efforts of nations,” he said.

He said that cooperative or collaborative systems amongst like-minded maritime nations are essential for a stable future. He also made a strong case for developing interoperability and trust between nations, saying this requires a sustained and continued engagement.

Chinese Threat

China’s People’s Liberation Army Navy (PLAN) presents the greatest challenge to the Indian Navy in the Indo-Pacific region. The PLAN is supported by the China Coast Guard and the Chinese maritime militia in furthering Chinese national interest in the Indo-Pacific region.

China’s friendship with Pakistan is of concern as they together present a new challenge to India in the maritime domain. India considers the Indian Ocean region as the key to India’s security and also aims to build credibility in the Indo-Pacific.

The dispute over Taiwan and China’s aggressive posture in the South and East China Seas, and China’s rivalry with America for dominance in those waters has brought the Indo-Pacific region centrestage. China’s ‘grey zone’ operations against US maritime forces and its allies have further sharpened rivalries in the Indo-Pacific.

India’s Linkages with the Indo-Pacific

The Indian government’s has often enunciated a vision of a free, open, inclusive, and prosperous Indo-Pacific.

The Indo-Pacific is the gateway to the Indian Ocean from the east with crucial trade and security implications. Hence its is of vital interest to India as also to ASEAN countries. India has linkages with many countries of southeast Asia and east Asia. The Indian Navy has been exercising with navies of the ASEAN region for many years. The Malabar series of exercises include participation by the United States navy and Japanese Self Defence Forces. Ther Indian Navy has exercised not only in the Bay of Bengal but in the western Pacific as well.

India’s ‘Look East’ policy was enunciated in the early 1990s, keeping in mind its maritime and security interests. The same has transformed into ‘Act East’ policy. In pursuit of this policy, the Indian Navy has engaged its counterparts in the Indo-Pacific by way of maritime military cooperation and humanitarian assistance and disaster relief.

Piracy, maritime terrorism, maritime crimes like drug and human trafficking, are some of the other threats which the Indian Navy has to be deal with. Other non-traditional threats include climate change-induced sea-level rise and maritime pollution. State actors in particular are challenging the rules-based, liberal international order and need to be dealt with.

Indian Navy’s Approach

The Indian Navy provides maritime security for safe trade and monitors vessels that enter or leave the Indian Ocean region through the Malacca Strait, with the Andaman and Nicobar Command’s undertaking regular surveillance. Coordinated naval patrols with Bangladesh, Thai and Indonesian navies have been institutionalised. Maritime partnership exercises are conducted with Singapore, Thailand, Indonesia, Malaysia and Myanmar, in bilateral or multilateral formats.

Indian naval ships, submarines and aircraft have undertaken long-range overseas deployments, across the Indo-Pacific as far as Japan, Hawaii and Australia.

Towards becoming a net security provider in the region, the Indian Navy has been helping smaller maritime neighbours and providing platforms and equipment for their navies. Neibhbours have appreciated India’s help in training, repairs, expertise in hydrography, maritime surveys and cartographic assistance.

The Indian Navy is the first responder in the region for humanitarian assistance and disaster relief. In the aftermath of the 2004 tsunami, earthquakes, cyclones, and pandemics the Indian Navy’s contribution with relief supplies with professionalism has created yremendous goodwill.

Comments

The Indo-Pacific region stretches from the coastlines of East Africa to the western Americas. It is today a vital oceanic space comprising critical chokepoints that carry a majority of the world’s trade. The chokepoints are situated at key geopolitical flashpoints. The Indo-Pacific is now perceived as vital for energy security, maritime security, and maritime commerce. The Indian Navy is is a formidable and potent force to provide such security in the region.

The Indian Navy is preparing a 175-ship plan (25 ships more than its current strength of 150) to particularly deal with the Chinese threat in the Indian Ocean.

India has strategic partnership with the United States, Japan, South Korea, Australia, Southeast Asian countries, and West Asian countries. India is also involved in the Quadrilateral Security Dialogue (QUAD) featuring three partners in the US, Japan, and Australia.

The Indian Navy is playing an important role in realising the Indian government’s vision of a free, open, inclusive, and prosperous Indo-Pacific.

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The 4th edition of Goa Maritime Conclave (GMC) 2023 was held on 29-31 October 2023 by the Indian Navy under the aegis of Naval War College, Goa. GMC is the Indian Navy’s outreach initiative providing a multinational platform to harness the collective wisdom of practitioners of maritime security and the academia towards garnering outcome oriented maritime thought.

Previous editions of the biennial event were held in 2017, 2019, and 2021. The Conclave provides a forum for exchange of views by the Chiefs of Navy/ Heads of Maritime Agencies on dealing with contemporary and future maritime challenges, as well as presenting cooperative strategies for enhancing interoperability amongst partner maritime agencies.

The theme for the 2023 edition of GMC was Maritime Security in the Indian Ocean Region: Converting Common Maritime Priorities into Collaborative Mitigating Frameworks, which was derived keeping in mind the necessity of ‘synergising and collaborating efforts’ in the maritime domain towards achieving maritime security in the Indian Ocean Region (IOR).

At the GMC-23, Adm R Hari Kumar, Chief of the Naval Staff of Indian Navy hosted Chiefs of Navies/ Heads of Maritime Forces/ Senior Representatives from 12 Indian Ocean littorals, including Bangladesh, Comoros, Indonesia, Madagascar, Malaysia, Mauritius, Maldives, Myanmar, Seychelles, Singapore, Sri Lanka, and Thailand.

Emphasising the evolution of GMC into a functional framework addressing transnational challenges in the IOR, Adm R Hari Kumar, noted that addressing these challenges cooperatively was essential.

Defence Minister Rajnath Singh was the Chief Guest and delivered the Keynote Address of GMC-23. He underscored the responsibility of IOR countries to collaborate and combat threats emerging from the sea, emphasising mutual trust as a prerequisite for cooperation.

The Minister of State for External Affairs and Culture Meenakshi Lekhi delivered a Special Address. She highlighted India’s rich maritime history and the significance of cooperation and capacity building for the region’s resilience and prosperity.

Vice Adm MA Hampiholi, the FOC-in-C Southern Naval Command, and Adm Arun Prakash (retd), former Chief of the Naval Staff, also addressed the delegates.

The Conclave participants benefitted from interactions with eminent speakers and subject matter experts over four sessions focusing on:

Identifying Gaps in Regulatory and Legal Frameworks for Achieving Maritime Security in the IOR

Formulation of a Common Multi-lateral Maritime Strategy and Operating Protocols for GMC Nations for Collective > Mitigation of Maritime Threats and Challenges

Identification and Establishment of Collaborative Training Programmes with Center of Excellence across the IOR

Leveraging Activities Pursued Through Existing Multilateral Organisations in the IOR towards Generating Collective Maritime competencies”.

The fourth Conclave continued the quest to find regional solutions to the regional security challenges in the IOR, and becoming an ‘outcome-oriented’ forum by converting Common Maritime Priorities into Collaborative Mitigating Frameworks.

Keynote Address

Defence Minister Rajnath Singh October 30  stressed the need to build trust among countries on the maritime front through dialogue and said common maritime priorities of tackling climate change, controlling piracy, terrorism and drug trafficking should be addressed in cooperation.

“How do we build trust? We build trust through dialogues such as the GMC, joint exercises, industrial collaboration, sharing of resources, respecting international law etc.,” Singh said, adding that the trust amongst cooperating countries will lead to optimal outcomes in common maritime priorities. “Since our countries interact with each other on a multitude of issues. It is possible to build trust by discussion and consultation with each other,” the defence minister said.

Quoting the Sanskrit adage ‘Sanghe Shakti Kaliyuge’, Singh said in the present era, strength lies in collaboration and cooperation, and cooperative equilibrium can also be achieved in international relations.

“In our context, common maritime priorities such as tackling climate change, controlling piracy, terrorism, drug trafficking and overfishing at the high seas need to be addressed by all of us cooperatively. “If the threats that we face are supranational in scope and impact, international efforts to address them will indeed have limited effects,” the defence minister said, adding that regional challenges can be managed through multinational collaborative mitigation frameworks. Illegal, unreported and unregulated (IUU) fishing is a challenge related to over-exploitation of resources in the region, Singh said.

IUU fishing threatens the ecosystem, economic security and regional and global food security, he said, adding that it is a common maritime priority to control IUU fishing. Multinational collaboration efforts for the compilation, coalition and sharing of surveillance data was the need of the hour, he said.

“It will help in identifying actors with irregular or threatening behaviour, which needs to be countered resolutely,” Singh added. He further said that the “pandemic of climate irresponsibility” will threaten societies, and just like the recent pandemic (COVID-19), there is a vaccine available (for the climate pandemic).

“It is a vaccine of collaboration, climate responsibility and climate justice. If all countries accept the responsibility to cut the emission by investing in green economy and shared technology, there is no reason why humanity cannot overcome this problem as well,” Singh said.Our narrow immediate interests tempt us to flout or disrespect the international laws, but doing so will lead to the breakdown of civilised maritime intercourse, he said. “The law of the jungle will be the result of such narrowness. Our common security and prosperity cannot be preserved without all committing cooperatively and adhering to maritime rules,” Singh said.

Navy Chief’s Four Principles

Indian Navy Chief Adm Hari Kumar put forward a set of four principles aimed at fostering deeper relations among the states in the Indian Ocean Region (IOR).

He expressed India’s willingness “to take lead in developing the training and capacity building pillar,” in alignment with Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s vision of ‘Security and Growth for All in the Region’ (SAGAR).

His first suggestion involved the establishment of a dynamic working mechanism that is “structure light, but functionally heavy.” Based on common maritime priorities (CMPs), this would encompass maritime law, information, strategy and protocols, as well as training and capacity building. The second proposal emphasised the leveraging of unique capabilities and expertise brought to the table by each state.

Admiral Kumar said that “each one of us could bring to the table certain unique capabilities and expertise,” such as proficiency in maritime law, counteracting sea-borne narcotics trade, maritime surveillance, and environmental stewardship. This he said “would also lay the foundation for establishing regional Centres of Excellence (CoE)” in addition to “developing and operationalising the mitigation framework for addressing CMPs”.

Furthermore, the navy chief highlighted the importance of developing CoEs as central hubs for maritime security information within the IOR. As an example, he cited the establishment of the Information Fusion Centre for the Indian Ocean Region (IFC-IOR) in Gurugram. This initiative underlined India’s role as the primary guardian of the Indian Ocean, serving as a “net security provider” that fosters collaboration among regional countries to ensure global commons’ security, freedom of navigation, and protection against various challenges including piracy, terrorism, gun-running, narcotics, human migration, and illegal fishing.

Lastly, Admiral Kumar suggested streamlining and prioritising efforts under bilateral, mini-lateral, and multi-lateral constructs in the IOR.

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