The Vice President Shri Jagdeep Dhankhar today highlighted that the immense unexploited wealth in seas makes them the new frontier for contestation among global players and stressed the need for a regulatory regime and its effective enforcement to contain the possibility of contesting claims of the seas and its assets.

Delivering the keynote address at the 2023 edition of the “Indo-Pacific Regional Dialogue '' in New Delhi today, VP said that as the fastest growing economy, India seeks a free and peaceful rule-based Indo-Pacific region with open and unrestricted flow of lawful legitimate commerce. Calling for freedom for navigation and over-flight in accordance with established international Laws and Conventions, Shri Dhankhar stressed, “We seek a just global regulatory regime that respects the right over EEZ, for the sustainable and equitable exploitation of marine resources and Sea-bed in high seas.”

Describing the emergence of Bharat as a leading economy as a stabilising factor for global peace and harmony, the Vice President emphasised that India has to play a critical & constructive role to ensure that we lead from the front to ensure global order. “You cannot enforce peace, you cannot negotiate peace, you cannot aspire peace from a position of weakness. You have to be strong and you have to be strong on all fundamentals. India in the current scenario is eminently suited for this,” he added.

Mentioning that the world currently faces two serious conflagrations and there is no light visible at the end of tunnel, VP called upon the experts to think out of box to find a solution. Underlining that greed of a sovereign nation can only be contained if other nations come together, Shri Dhankhar said that collaborative security and innovative partnerships seem to be the way forward. “This is the only way out. No country can stand alone, there has to be action in togetherness,” he emphasised.

In his address the Vice President also expressed his pain and anguish that India, a country that comprises one sixth of humanity, is not fairly represented at UNSC which certainly downsizes the efficacy of this global body. Time has come when we need to focus on that also, he stressed.

Referring to disruptive technologies like AI, robotics, drones and hypersonic weapons, VP said that prowess and mastery of these domains will determine the strategic haves and have nots of the future. In this regard, he urged the Indian corporate sector to come forward, converge with civil and military forces, and work to evolve such technologies, as is being done in western countries.

The Vice President noted that “as India's economic prowess grows, so do our stakes in global and regional affairs as also challenges” and called for evolution of a strategy for security measures in the region to fortify India’s position as a ready, resurgent, and relevant stakeholder among the nations of this region.

Referring to our age old ethos of ‘Vasudhaiv Kutumbakam’, he said that India as a nation can be singled out as being a consistent proponent of peace, never having engaged in expansion. He also underlined that peace and stability of our neighbourhood is vital for the growth and prosperity of India.

Congratulating the Indian Navy for organising this interaction amongst stakeholders and strategic think tanks, VP expressed an urgent need to revisit the metaphysics of the international system and debate as to how to strengthen deterrence and re-vitalise diplomacy in imaginative ways to contain and resolve conflagrations.

Highlighting the importance of the Indo Pacific region, he observed that we are faced with an explosive global scenario with many cliff hanging situations that potentially can derail smooth sailing of trade and maintenance of connectivity in the Indo-Pacific. “Evolution of a strategy to deal with the challenges to contain these menacing trends is a priority for the welfare of entire humanity,” he underscored.

Mentioning that piracy and drug trafficking still remain a challenge despite all the technological advancements, Shri Dhankhar noted that the wealth generated by these is used by non-state actors to disrupt peace and harmony. “Non state actors have emerged as the greatest negative interventions in the global peace efforts. Individual efforts may not be sufficient to neutralise them. Only in togetherness, in firm & final mechanism, they can be dealt with,” he observed.

During the event, the Vice President also released a book titled “Building Partnership: India & International Cooperation for Maritime Security” authored by Capt Himadri Das.
Admiral R. Hari Kumar Chief of the Naval Staff ,Admiral Karambir Singh, (Retd.), Chairman, National Maritime Foundation, Vice Admiral Pradeep Chauhan, (Retd.), Director General, National Maritime Foundation and other dignitaries attended the event.

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click  https://pib.gov.in/PressReleasePage.aspx?PRID=1977077  to read the text of the Vice-President's address. 

MS/JK/R