Muscat: The third largest ocean in the world, the Indian Ocean, is the subject of the two-day Indian Ocean Conference attended by 28 ministers from 27 countries, in addition to delegates from 40 countries.
According to the President of India Foundation, Ram Madhav, the conference conducted in Oman at Oman Convention and Exhibition Center has turned out to be the biggest in the series of Indian Ocean Conferences held so far. The conference with the theme, Voyage to New Horizons of Maritime Partnership, had the inaugural session spearheading straight to the issues facing the countries of the Indian Ocean region. During his welcome address, Sayyid Badr bin Hamad Albusaidi, Oman’s Foreign Minister, said, “Your presence here today reflects a shared principle: that the Indian Ocean is not just a body of water.
It is a lifeline for economies, a channel of exchange, a source of connection, and a passage for friendship. Today, we have a responsibility to progress on matters such as marine stewardship, freedom of shipping, and tackling coastal communities’ climate challenges.” He said this conference is also an opportunity to explore the broader potential of our ocean.
He added that Oman’s economic vision pivots on aligning economic progress with conservation in sectors such as the blue economy, port infrastructure, and logistics, and I hope this conference will enable us to develop shared strategies that are both mutually beneficial and sustainable. “But our partnership extends far beyond maritime matters. It encompasses the energy transition, technology, our vision of the South, and much more,” he noted. In special remarks delivered by Vivian Balakrishnan, Singapore’s Minister of Foreign Affairs, he stressed the freedom of navigation. “For trading economies like Singapore and Oman, open maritime trade is essential,” he pointed out.
In his keynote address, India’s External Affairs Minister, S. Jaishankar, said, “We meet at a time when there is considerable churn in world affairs. At such a juncture, an open and constructive exchange of views is of particular benefit. I am confident that all of us will find great value in the discussions that we will be holding over the next two days. Changes in the global order may be expressed through new ideas and concepts. But they are also reflected in the evolving landscape. The Indian Ocean region is no exception to that rule.
And this matters not just to us as inhabitants of this community, but given our salience in so many dimensions, to other regions and nations as well. After all, as we heard from previous speakers, the Indian Ocean is veritably a global lifeline. Its production, consumption, contribution, and connectivity are central to the manner in which the world runs today.” He explained that tensions in the Middle East/West Asia and Indo-Pacific have their consequences, pointing out that maritime consequences are visible in a serious disruption of global shipping, with considerable cost to the economies. Like other parts of the Global South, the Indian Ocean nations too face resource constraints and economic headwinds. Many of them are struggling to meet their SDG targets.
Another common issue is that of rebuilding connectivity in the region after decades of colonial-era disruption. “To make this a truly shared endeavor, it is vital to ensure that connectivity initiatives are consultative and transparent, not unilateral and opaque. Yet another widespread concern is the challenge faced by Indian Ocean states to monitor their EEZ and secure their fishing interests. Nor can they be impervious to illegal trafficking of various kinds and the specter of terrorism,” he noted. Speaking to Observer, Ram Madhav said during the two days the countries will discuss the challenges the Indian Ocean countries face and how countries like Oman and India come together to help all the countries in addressing the challenges of supply chain, economy, climate, humanitarian challenges such as evacuations, and sea level rises.
The panel discussions to be held on the first day were Amplifying the Voice of the Global South, Securing Maritime Economic Interests, Strengthening Maritime Supply Chains: Overcoming Disruptions and Enhancing Resilience, and Navigating New Frontiers: Evolving Maritime Landscape in the 21st century.
https://x.com/i/broadcasts/1OwxWXjYAokKQ]
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