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New Delhi, October 28 (IANS) Indian Navy Chief Admiral Dinesh K. Inaugurating the 11th edition of the Indo-Pacific Regional Dialogue (IPRD) here on Tuesday, Tripathi stressed the need for a collective, cooperative and technology-driven approach to ensure maritime security in the increasingly complex Indo-Pacific.
Welcoming over 30 international delegates, Admiral Tripathi said the future of the Indo-Pacific must be “shaped together through dialogue, cooperation and mutual trust”.
He said, this year’s theme reflects India’s expanded maritime vision – from Sea (security and development for all in the region) to Ocean (mutual and holistic advancement for security and development in regions) – underscoring India’s commitment to a secure and inclusive maritime order.
Highlighting the “dynamism” of the maritime environment – the mix of dynamism and complexity – Admiral Tripathi identified three defining streams: commercial disruption, international turbulence, and technological acceleration.
“Global maritime trade growth is projected to decline from 2.2 percent in 2024 to 0.5 percent in 2025, indicating strategic weakness,” he said, citing the Red Sea crisis.
“The Red Sea crisis has demonstrated how a maritime chokepoint can impact global freight indices, insurance premiums and food prices,” he said.
He also warned against increasing illegal fishing, trafficking and marine pollution, which threaten livelihoods, especially in small island developing states.
“According to the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), IUU fishing activities are responsible for the loss of 11 to 26 million tonnes of fish each year, with an estimated economic value of $10 to 23 billion,” he said.
“At the same time, smuggling networks are increasingly exploiting unregulated maritime spaces and weak enforcement regimes to move narcotics, weapons and even sanctioned goods, funding terrorist networks and fueling instability on the coast,” he said. State (SIDS).”
On technology, he said that while AI, autonomous systems and satellites are enhancing maritime awareness, they also expose vulnerabilities such as GPS jamming and cyber intrusions.
Admiral Tripathi outlined three pillars to navigate maritime “mobility”: overall maritime security, capacity building and capability enhancement.
He highlighted the Indian Navy’s initiatives, including the Information Fusion Center-Indian Ocean Region (IFC-IOR) at Gurugram, which currently hosts 15 International Liaison Officers and aims to expand to 50 by 2028.
He also cited India’s collaborative exercises like AIKEYME with African countries and Pacific Reach as well as innovations like indigenous NISHAR-MITRA terminals for secure communications.
He said, “India’s own experience underlines that capacity building cannot be an insular enterprise. It thrives on partnerships through joint design, co-production, maintenance cooperation and mutual assistance in crisis response.”
“Under Ocean, India’s defence-industrial transformation seeks to expand such collaboration beyond our shores, enabling friends and partners to strengthen their maritime presence with indigenous designs, affordable technologies and sustainable support systems. Ultimately, true capability is not what a nation aggregates, but what a region aggregates.”
–IANS
SAS/VD