The Indian Ocean region, which is among the most important trade routes, has been facing threats of piracy for a while and the countries in the Indian Ocean Rim have been at their wits end to find a permanent solution to the problem.
For one, it’s led to the Chinese and US navies making their presence felt in the region as they try to fight the menace that’s cost millions of dollars in global trade. Maritime security and fight against piracy has hence become one of the chief matters of deliberation at the 14-year-old Indian Ocean Rim Association for Regional Cooperation (IOR-ARC) meeting. While, it is not the Arabian Sea area alone where pirates are reeking havoc, Mozambique channel on the south-eastern coast of Africa and the Malacca Strait near Indonesia too have been facing the scourge of piracy for quite a while.
“We will need consen-sus on piracy and try to ens-ure there is no further increase in the naval presence of these countries,” said S M Krishna, External Affairs Minster.
Krishna added that while China has a presence in the region with influence on smaller nations, India has cordial relations with the neighbour. “We have to partner China for mutual benefit. We have to work with like-minded countries,” he said.
He said, India has a double concession treaty with Mauritius and India is working with them to check double tax avoidance.
Hence, the 18-member countries have been expressing plans for deterrents and need for transparency among countries to fight the menace under the chairmanship of India this time around. But, the group doesn’t have the mandate to use force to deal with any issue.
The tsunami of 2004 that had killed about a quarter of a million people in the Indian Ocean region has had led to efforts at disaster risk reduction at the global level.
“This has had a positive impact with countries mak-ing joint efforts by setting up early warning system in case of disasters which could be put to use during oil spills or in case of any fall-out from any pollution at sea,” said Sudhir Vyas, Secretary, Ministry of External Affairs. The group has been working to find ways to increase intra-regional trade too by facilitating business to business relations that too at a time when the trade with the western world has been hit due to the economic woes facing the West for over two years now. The Indian Ocean group hopes to reconnect the old linkages, but it has not been easy to do so due to large difference in the economic development of member countries.
The Indian Ocean Rim grouping stretches from South Africa to Australia. The Indian Ocean has been one of the most important trade routes in the world; for centuries seafarers, traders, fishermen and pilgrims have traversed its waters generating a shared history of the region.
“There has been more business interest between the countries, and they have been looking for efficient investment, tourism promotion and cultural engagement,” Vyas added.
Fisheries too has an issue of much interest with countries exchanging views to ensure no over-fishing doesn’t take place and fishing remains sustainable. As part of this, a flagship institution, a fisheries support unit has been set up to study sustainable fishing.
The meeting will adopt a ‘Bangalore Declaration’ on enhancing cooperation among the member countries in tourism, culture, education, skill development, fisheries, small-and-medium enterprises (SMEs), infrastructure, maritime transport cooperation and combating natural disasters.
The regional group will also develop scientific and technical co-operation through an academic group which will promote student exchange programme, and research and setting up centres of excellence in various disciplines.
With middle class driving tourism in today’s world, the group is also working on ways to jointly promote the region as a tourism as a tourism destination.
