India calls for sea lanes free of 'tension and rivalry'

Amid concerns over China's maritime assertiveness, India today called for freedom of navigation saying sea lanes of communications should be devoid of tension and rivalry.
"India does not see itself as in competition with any country in this regard," said President Pranab Mukherjee who is on a maiden two-day state visit to Papua New Guinea (PNG), the largest island in the Pacific region.
He also said that India was not in competition with anyone in tying up on security cooperation with PNG.
All sea lanes of communications should be free of tension and rivalry, Mukherjee said in an interview to the 'Post Courier' newspaper here.

He was replying to a question about the future of security cooperation between PNG and India against the backdrop of strong Chinese military presence in the region.
The waters and Exclusive Economic Zones (EEZs) of Pacific Island countries have seen a surge of illegal activities such as smuggling, illegal fishing, human trafficking, drug trafficking which impact on the economy and political security of the Pacific Island Countries, the President said.

"We are ready to cooperate with Papua New Guinea and the Pacific Island Countries in helping them secure their EEZs and also helping in disaster warning and disaster mitigation. We are ready to share satellite images developed by Indian satellites for early warning system and to help map the natural resources of each country using our satellite system," he said.

"Maritime security, terrorism and piracy are major concerns to the whole world today and also for India and Papua New Guinea," he said.
During the FIPIC-2 (Forum for India-Pacific Islands Cooperation) Summit in Jaipur, India offered a Coastal Surveillance Radar System to the Pacific Island countries, including Papua New Guinea. It has also offered to provide Coast Guard vessels, he said.
The President, who arrived here this morning and was accorded a ceremonial reception which included a 21 gun salute, said the underlying narrative of India's engagement with the developing world is "non-exploitative and developmental".
"Having endured colonial exploitation, India is acutely conscious of the fact that bilateral relationships have to be based on mutual benefit. India, therefore, believes in capacity building and assistance based on priorities determined by the recipient country," he said.

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He said India looks at the Pacific Island countries as an increasingly important group of nations that voice the aspirations of the developing world in a variety of fora.
"We recognise that Papua New Guinea by virtue of its location, size, population and abundant resources, has a key role to play in this region," he said while replying to a question about India's primary interests in the Pacific region as a whole and in PNG in particular keeping in view that the region as whole is receiving largess from Prime Minister Narendra Modi as well as Chinese President Xi Jinping.

Experts monitoring the diplomatic moves of India and China in Pacific region feel that New Delhi has woken now about increasing its presence in Pacific ocean and has started reaching out to the island nations located in the region.
In 2014, Modi had visited Fiji and a year later India announced that it was setting up a space research and satellite monitoring station in that country.
Mukherjee said India has requisite expertise and appropriate technology to help PNG fulfil its vision of development and attain its goals.
"We are committed to extend all possible help, expertise and technology to the people of Papua New Guinea, be it in the fields of agriculture, health, human resource development, education, development of infrastructure and transport," he said.

Replying to a question whether India could help in recruiting experienced and qualified teachers to educate young PNG students, he said education is the foundation on which economic and technological prosperity of nations will be built, in the 21st century and added "India stands ready to help Papua New Guinea in every which way possible".
In the health sector, he said an MoU was being firmed up in which training of PNG doctors and nurses in India and deputation of Indian physicians, nurses and trainers to Papua New Guinea besides Indian assistance in enlargement and development of Government Hospitals in Papua New Guinea.

"It is proposed in the MoU that India would support Papua New Guinea establish a Pharmaceutical Production Unit which would meet the demands of crucial life-saving medicines. India has also agreed to provide anti-retro viral products for HIV/AIDS patients and ancillary equipment that will help monitor HIV," he said.
Mukherjee said India is a net importer of hydrocarbons and as India's economy grows, "We will need more imports of hydrocarbons to meet our increasing energy demand. As an environmentally responsible country, India realises the benefits of using Liquefied Natural Gas (LNG) over other fossil fuels. Apart from the discoveries of natural gas that have already been made, we understand there exists further untapped potential".

"We hope to work actively with the Government of Papua New Guinea in developing LNG and other resources," he said.
On the development of India, the President said while hard work and perseverance are certainly critical for the success of any individual or society "equally important are the right political, economic and social values."
"India believes in the rule of law; human rights and freedoms for all its people; democracy which ensures full participation by its people in governance; equality of status and opportunity; and inclusive growth wherein the benefits of development reach each and every citizen of our country. We believe adherence to these values is the key to success," he said.

Mukherjee also visited the War Cemetery here and paid respects to unknown soldiers who died during World War II before meeting Governor General Sir Michael Ogio.
After his visit to the war cemetery, PNG Prime Minister Peter O'Neill and leader of opposition Don Polye called on Mukherjee.
During his speech at the banquet hosted in his honour by the PNG Governor General, the President said "we consider our cooperation with the Islands of the Pacific to be a key component of our Act East policy".