New Delhi: External Affairs Minister Dr S Jaishankar, on Wednesday, described India as 'Vishwa Mitra' or 'world’s friend' and a voice of the global South.
Speaking at the opening session of the 23rd Indian Ocean Rim Association (IORA) in Colombo, Jaishankar said, “As the Vice-Chair for the next two years, India, the Vishwa Mitra or the world’s friend, a voice of the Global South, will work with the IORA Member States to strengthen the institutional, financial and legal framework of IORA, towards realizing the true potential of this dynamic grouping."
Jaishankar is on an official visit to Sri Lanka from 10-12 October and this is the EAM's second visit to Sri Lanka. Besides IORA engagements, EAM will have bilateral meetings in Colombo. Jaishankar’s visit to Sri Lanka comes two months after Sri Lankan President Ranil Wickremesinghe travelled to India in July to bolster relations between the two sides.
He noted that India’s specific focus will be in the areas of Maritime Safety and Security and Blue Economy as a coordinating country, while adding, “India will also contribute to other priority and cross-cutting areas of IORA, as and when required. As the incoming Vice-Chair, we look forward to the support and cooperation of all Member States, Dialogue Partners and Academic and Business Groups."
“In the resurgence of Asia and global rebalancing, the Indian Ocean holds a central position, playing a crucial role in the development and prosperity of the littoral nations, by supporting trade and sustaining livelihoods, offering immense possibilities of connectivity and resource utilization. It is the message of Vasudhaiva Kutumbakam or ‘the world is one family’ which can be a binding force to bring the IORA Member States together," said Jaishankar at the IORA meeting.
He asserted that as the Vice Chair and a member of the TROIKA, India’s priorities are clear. “It is our effort to develop an Indian Ocean community that is stable and prosperous, strong and resilient, and which can cooperate closely within and respond to happenings beyond the ocean. It is thus important to maintain the Indian Ocean as a free, open, and inclusive space based on the UN Convention on the Law of the Sea(UNCLOS), as the Constitution of the Seas. The spirit of 1971 that our Sri Lankan colleague referred to, should continue to guide our outlook, discouraging any hidden agendas to the contrary," said External Affairs Minister Dr Jaishankar.
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“Where India is concerned, we will continue our approach of contributing to build capacity and secure safety and security in the Indian Ocean Region, including as first responder and a net security provider. India’s commitment to the well-being and progress of nations of the Indian Ocean is based on our Neighbourhood First policy, the SAGAR outlook, and our approach to the extended neighborhood and the Indo-Pacific. A multilateral rules-based international order along with sincere respect for sovereignty and territorial integrity remains the foundation for reviving the Indian Ocean as a strong community," India’s foreign minister said.
Jaishankar is among the 16 ministers attending the two-day IORA meeting which also includes the foreign ministers of Bangladesh, Iran, Mauritius, Malaysia, and South Africa. He further pointed out that as the apex regional body, IORA has the responsibility to play a significant role in making the Indian Ocean a more seamless and cooperative space.
“Developmental issues, lack of robust connectivity, the burden of opaque and unsustainable debt generated by unviable projects, threats to social fabric posed by extremism and fundamentalism, dangers emanating from terrorism, natural disasters and climate change, all these are the challenges that we face," added EAM.
“Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s vision of life or "Lifestyle for Environment” is relevant, to encourage us to live a life that is in tune with the well-being of our planet. Many of us here are members of the Global South and the focus that India has been able to bring through the G20 would surely be welcome to all of you," said Jaishankar.
It would also help IORA to harness the power of women, Nari Shakti, by shifting the focus to women-led development. The significance of the democratization of technology in bridging the data divide and promoting Data for Development cannot be exaggerated in IORA’s quest for prosperity.
The Indian Ocean Rim Association (IORA) is a dynamic inter-governmental organization aimed at strengthening regional cooperation and sustainable development within the Indian Ocean region through its 23 Member States and 11 Dialogue Partners.
The 23 members include Australia, Bangladesh, Comoros, France, Indonesia, Iran, Kenya, Malaysia, Oman, Singapore, South Africa, Tanzania, Thailand and the UAE. It is pertinent to note that India and Sri Lanka unveiled a new economic partnership for maritime, air, energy, and financial connectivity, including the use of India’s Unified Payments Interface (UPI) system, during Wickremesinghe’s visit.
