3-day global conference om maritime trade begins tomorrow

External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj will inaugurate tomorrow a three-day global conference here on maritime trade.
The conference, 'India & the Indian Ocean: Renewing the Maritime Trade & Civilisational Linkages', will also be attended by Defence Minister Manohar Parrikar, Minister of State for Petroleum & Natural Gas Dharmendra Pradhan, Commerce & Industry Minister Nirmala Sitharaman and Odisha Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik.
Twenty nations from the region, popularly known as Indian Ocean Rim Countries, including Australia, South Africa, Sri Lanka, Bangladesh, Maldives, Thailand and Mauritius will participate in the event.
Some other countries including USA and China are expected to send representatives as observers.

Institute of Social and Cultural Studies in association with Research and Information System for Developing Countries (RIS), an autonomous think-tank and under MEA, is organising the conference.
Issues like maritime safety & security, trade and industrial facilitation, fisheries management, disaster risk management, science and technology, tourism, culture and gender empowerment would be discussed, the organisers said in a statement.
The topics of deliberations are Historical Linkages and Cultural Networks in IORA (Indian Ocean Rim Association), Regional Maritime and Energy Security in Indian Ocean, Trade Linkages: Routes, Commodities and Merchants, Maritime and Humanitarian Issues, Regional Economic Cooperation in Trade and Investment in IORA, etc.

The conference is supported by eight Union Ministries -- External Affairs, Petroleum & Natural Gas, Power, Shipping, Commerce & Industry, Culture, Tourism and Agriculture.