What is the issue?
- India convenes an open debate of the UN Security Council (UNSC) on enhancing maritime security.
- In this regard, here is a look at the challenges and priorities for India with respect to the security of the Indian Ocean Region (IOR).
What are the challenges?
- The Indian Ocean region transports 75% of the world’s maritime trade and 50% of daily global oil consumption.
- India has a long coastline of over 7,500 km.
- Climate-related events and piracy threats.
What is the SAGAR policy in this regard?
- India’s Security and Growth for All (SAGAR) policy, unveiled in 2015, proposes an integrated regional framework to meet the security objectives in the Indian Ocean.
- 5 pillars of the SAGAR policy are:
- India’s role as a net security provider in the Indian Ocean region (IOR).
- Active engagement with friendly countries in the IOR.
- Developing a network to take effective collective action for advancing peace and security.
- More integrated and cooperative focus on the future of the IOR; enhance the prospects for the sustainable development of the IOR countries
- The primary responsibility for peace, stability and prosperity in the IOR would be on those “who live in this region”.
What are the highlights of the UNSC debate?
- It revives focus on the enforcement of UNCLOS’s provisions on freedom of navigation, sustainable exploitation of maritime resources, and peaceful resolution of disputes.
- There were allegations of abuse of maritime resources and disrespect of territorial sovereignty rights of nations.
- These were mainly against the U.S., on the one hand, and China and Russia on the other.
- The debate brought to the fore new challenges to peace and security including from non-state actors.
- India brought to the forum a five-prong plan to enhance maritime security worldwide through cooperation. These are:
- removing barriers to legitimate maritime trade
- settling maritime disputes peacefully and based on international law
- jointly facing natural disasters and maritime threats created by non-state actors
- preserving maritime environment and resources
- encouraging responsible maritime connectivity
What are the key priorities in enhancing maritime security?
- Securing the sea lanes of communication (SLOCs) - The debate must focus on ensuring equal and unrestricted access to SLOCs by states, while resolving differences through peaceful means.
- In the Indian Ocean, 3 major SLOCS that play a crucial role in the energy security and economic prosperity –
- SLOC connecting the Red Sea to the Indian Ocean through the Bab al-Mandab (transports the bulk of Asia’s international trade with its major trading partners in Europe and America)
- SLOC connecting the Persian Gulf to the Indian Ocean through the Strait of Hormuz (transporting the bulk of energy exports to major import destinations like India, ASEAN, and East Asia)
- SLOC connecting the Indian & Pacific Oceans through the Straits of Malacca (integral to the smooth flow of trade with ASEAN, East Asia, Russia’s Far East and the US)
- Sharing data on threats to commercial shipping - India established an International Fusion Centre (IFC) for the IOR in Gurugram in 2018.
- It is jointly administered by the Indian Navy and Indian Coast Guard, and works for generating Maritime Domain Awareness on safety and security issues.
- 40 international liaison officers from partner countries will eventually be located at the IFC.
- Others - Increasing role of the private sector
- Using the maritime domain to provide the critical submarine fibre-optic cables to support Digital Economy.
What lies ahead?
- UNSC should endorse a multiple stakeholder approach, which would set a paradigm for upholding “multi-dimensional” security
- UNCLOS is the only comprehensive framework of laws available to maritime powers to assert their rights.
- So India must advocate for ratification of UNCLOS by all major maritime powers, including the U.S.
Source: The Indian Express, The Hindu
