Importance of the Indian Ocean

K M Panikkar emphasized the Indian Ocean’s crucial role for India, underscoring the lack of regional forums and institutions for cooperation and security due to diversity and self-interest.

Regional Challenges and Initiatives

• Attempts to create a unified geopolitical space have resulted in numerous organizations (IORA, SAARC, BIMSTEC, IPOI, CSC, IONS), but with limited success.
• The emergence of the “Indo-Pacific” paradigm has redirected focus away from these initiatives.
• The Indian Ocean Conference (IOC) has gained traction as a consultative forum focusing on "Security and Growth for All in the Region" (SAGAR).

Keynote Address by External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar

• Jaishankar highlighted geopolitical tensions in the Middle East and South China Sea.
• Emphasized the importance of adhering to agreements for stability.
• Discussed economic, developmental, environmental, and maritime security issues affecting the IOR.
• Cited 10 examples of India’s contributions through maritime diplomacy.

Role of Indian Navy and Maritime Diplomacy

• The Indian Navy’s 2007 Maritime Strategy focuses on using warships to support foreign policy.
• India needs to leverage military power more effectively to advance foreign policy.
• India’s maritime diplomacy was notably demonstrated during the 2004 Asian Tsunami.
• The Navy’s humanitarian assistance and disaster relief (HADR) efforts left a lasting impression in the region.

Future Directions

• India should develop a fully funded security and HADR programme, including amphibious heavy-lift capability and a hospital ship.
• Coordination between the Ministry of Defence and Ministry of External Affairs is crucial for timely assistance.
• India has enhanced its Maritime Domain Awareness (MDA) capability to support regional partners like Seychelles, Mauritius, Maldives, and Sri Lanka.

Significance of Maritime Diplomacy

• Maritime diplomacy serves as a flexible tool for conveying messages and influencing events, ranging from peaceful cooperation to compellence and deterrence.
• Warships, although not designed for diplomatic roles, have attributes that make them effective diplomatic tools.
• The evolving international environment emphasizes the increasing importance of maritime diplomacy in conflict resolution and prevention.
• A strategic approach involving navies, bureaucracies, diplomats, and statesmen is needed within a national security strategy framework.
• A “whole of government” approach is required but is still developing in India.

The article concludes by advocating for a comprehensive governmental strategy to fully utilize maritime diplomacy’s potential.