Two high profile visits originated out of Sri Lanka in the first week of April: that of the Sri Lankan Chief of Defence Staff (CDS), Air Chief Marshal Kolitha Gunatilleke to India between 03 – 08 April and the Sri Lankan Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe to China between 06-09 April. Arguably, the latter had a […]
The recent Maritime India Summit 2016 in Mumbai was the first ever large scale global maritime event hosted by India. It was also an opportune moment for the Indian Prime Minister to announce his vision of a ‘maritime India’ built around robust infrastructure to complement the hinterland development plans. The thrust of his speech was […]
As the geo-political region of the Asia-Pacific is witnessing competition among established players such as the USA and China, the South Pacific Islands have begun to receive more attention. This is especially so in the context of India’s maritime, economic, and diplomatic interests and aspirations. Despite the tyranny of distance from Eurasia the South Pacific […]
On 16 March 2016, Bangladesh Shipping Minister Shajahan Khan launched the coastal shipping service between Bangladesh and India at a ceremony at New Mooring Container Terminal of Chittagong Port. The Minister said coastal shipping was being implemented within a year of the coastal shipping agreement having been concluded during Prime Minister Modi’s visit to Bangladesh […]
Speaking at the Raisina Dialogue in New Delhi on 02 March 2016, Admiral Harry B Harris, Commander, United States Pacific Command, exhorted that the ‘Quadrilateral Security Dialogue (QSD)’ between India, Japan, Australia and the United States be re-initiated. He further urged India and US to be “ambitious together” and along with Japan, Australia and other […]
The 37th Session of the SAARC Council of Ministers (COM) Meeting was held at Pokhra in Nepal on 17 March 2016. It carries great significance as this is the highest SAARC level meeting to take place before the 19th SAARC Summit is held in Pakistan on 9-10 November 2016. The members spoke on – regional […]
During the ‘Raisina Dialogue’ held in March 2016 at New Delhi, Admiral Harry Harris, the Commander of United States (US) Pacific Command (CINCPAC) referred to the first ever tri-lateral (Australia, Japan and India) 1 ministerial discussions held in September 2015, which had addressed “maritime security – including freedom of navigation patrols”, and proposed “expanding this […]
The 1982 UN Convention on the Law of the Seas provides the legal framework for governance of the oceans and the seas within which, all activities must be carried out. Areas Beyond National Jurisdiction (ABNJ), are those areas of the oceans for which no one nation has sole responsibility for management. These include the ‘High […]
Recent Large Discoveries In January 2016, an Israeli gas exploration group, led by the Isramco Negev and Modiin Energy companies, discovered two large gas reservoirs off Israel’s Mediterranean shore, Daniel East and Daniel West fields. A preliminary evaluation report prepared by Texas-based consultants – Netherland Sewell & Associates – estimates they hold 8.9 trillion cubic […]
In today’s world, sea piracy stands as one of the major challenges to maritime security. Since trade is dependent on the international shipping lanes that connect global economic hubs, nations across the world have taken due cognizance of these threats and have instituted military, diplomatic and organizational measures to combat the same. Sea piracy is […]
On 12th February 2016, the Indian Navy released the Indian Maritime Doctrine 2015. It is an online version of the Indian Maritime Doctrine 2009, updated as on 2015. It may be recalled that the first ever edition of Indian Maritime Doctrine was published in April 2004, and the same was revised in August 2009. The […]
China has invited sharp reactions from African countries over excessive and indiscriminate exploitation of sea-based resources. In December 2014, officials from 24 African countries expressed concerns over the poor state of the African fisheries industry (estimated to be US $24 billion) due to over-exploitation, poor supervision of fishery operations and ineffective law enforcement in the […]