Introduction On 8 December 2016, the member states of the South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation (SAARC), the SAARC Secretariat, SAARC regional institutions and the academia observed the 32nd SAARC Charter Day. 1 It was on this day in 1985 that the first SAARC Summit was held in Dhaka, Bangladesh and the regional organisation was […]
Introduction Coastal shipping is a characteristic observed in coastal and island countries for centuries as compared to other modes of transport. It is an energy-efficient, environment-friendly and inexpensive mode of transport. A key component for the development of domestic industry and trade, coastal shipping is largely used for transportation of goods, followed by passengers. In […]
The 70th session of the Marine Environment Protection Committee (MEPC) was held from 24-28 October 2016, at International Maritime Organisation (IMO) Headquarters in London. The meeting adopted key decisions which are likely to have a long-lasting effect on the marine environment and would contribute to enhancing the Blue Economy. Among these, three landmark decisions deserve […]
Introduction Diego Garcia is a highly guarded military base of the United States and strategically situated between East Africa, East Asia, and Southeast Asia, making it a vital outpost for basing US naval forces and projecting air and naval power into the region. In 1966, the United Kingdom signed an agreement with the United States, […]
Introduction Over the last few decades, the Chinese government has invested in a number of projects to strengthen the country’s security and safeguard its interests particularly in the maritime domain. One of the major areas that the Chinese government is focusing on is deep sea exploration. Although efforts of the Chinese government for the capacity […]
On 14 November 2016, Bangladesh Navy (BN) took delivery of two old refurbished Chinese Type 035G Ming-class diesel-electric submarines. As part of the US$ 203 million contract signed in 2013, the submarines were handed over to the BN crew during a ceremony at the Liao Nan Shipyard in China’s Dalian city. The submarines are slated […]
Tomorrow, 26 November 2016, the nation will observe the eight anniversary of the ‘26/11’ Mumbai terrorist attacks. Precisely two months back on 26 September 2016, the Comptroller and Auditor General of India (CAG) tabled its 2015 report on the General and Social Sector (Government of Odisha) in the State Assembly. The report highlighted that the […]
The much-awaited China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) has been officially flagged off with the first consignment from China setting sail from Gwadar to the African and West Asian markets on 13 November 2016. The Corridor’s newly built western route was chosen for the transit of the trucks all the way from Kashgar in China to Pakistan’s […]
On 09 November 2016, the United Nations (UN) Security Council unanimously adopted Resolution 2316 (2016), renewing authorisation for international naval forces to combat piracy off the Somali coast. The United Nations Security Council Resolution (UNSCR) comes days after the announcement by the European Union Naval Force (EUNAVFOR), on 04 November 2016, of a confirmed attack […]
India is the seventh-largest economy in the world as measured by nominal GDP and third largest economy as measured by purchasing power parity (PPP). The industrial sector registered a growth of 5.9 per cent in 2014-15, and India aims to grow further in this sector. Revitalizing Project ‘Sagarmala’ in 2014 is a major step towards […]
Introduction The ‘Blue Economy’ endorses sustainable development of the seas and oceans and attempts to balance social, environmental and economic goals while promoting exploration and utilization of oceanic resources. The concept has found widespread acceptance amongst coastal countries and island states and Prime Minister Modi has called for regional cooperation to support India’s vision of […]
The unfolding events in the South China Sea (SCS) in the last one decade plus has been tumultuous to say the least. The year Code of Conduct (CoC) 1was signed in Cambodia (2002) can be taken as the bench mark year when the members of the ASEAN and China agreed on prescribed methods for preventing […]