Nishka Srinivas Veluvali
Published On: February 03, 2022 at 17:50 IST
India and European Union (EU) have joined hands to call for a peaceful Resolution to tackle the Disputes in accordance with International Law, particularly with the United Nations Convention on Law of the Sea (UNCLOS).
The key element of the agenda in the Indo – EU Maritime conference was the issue of the Freedom of Navigation across the Indo – Pacific region.
India – EU and the Indo – Pacific collaboration is receiving additional boost under the supervision of the current French Presidency with France being keen on providing alternatives to the Chinese model to the Indo – Pacific countries.
The recent visit by a German Warship to Mumbai was also a symbol of the EU’s biggest economic power’s commitment of their partnership with India.
The Indo – EU Maritime conference included developments in the Maritime Security environment, Policy development including the EU strategy for cooperation in the Indo – Pacific and India’s Indo – Pacific Ocean’s Initiative to deal with International Security Issues.
India and EU have also addressed cooperation, including the field of Maritime Domain Awareness, capacity building and the joint Naval activities following their successful Joint Naval Exercises in the Gulf of Aden in the June, 2021.
In this conference, both sides laid emphasis on working towards a free, open, inclusive and rules based Maritime Order in the Indo – Pacific Region, focusing more on Democracy, Rule of Law, Feedom of Navigation and Overflight, respect for Territorial Integrity as well as Sovereignty and peaceful solutions for the Disputes in Indo – Pacific in compliance with International Law particularly UNCLOS.
Tuesday’s conference was co – chaired by Joanneke Balfoort, Director for Security and Defence Policy at the European External Action Service and Sandeep Arya, Joint Secretary for Disarmament and International Security Affairs at the Ministry of External Affairs.
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