Why in News

Recently, India has proposed to convene an open debate of the UN Security Council (UNSC) on enhancing maritime security.

• The objective of this debate is to highlight effective international maritime cooperation to respond holistically to natural and manmade threats to maritime security.
• It also reflects India’s international evolution as a maritime nation.

Key Points

• Importance of Indian Ocean for India:
  • Long Maritime Boundary: With a coastline of over 7,500 km, India has a natural interest in enhancing maritime security.

  • Securing Sea lanes of Communication: In the Indian Ocean, three major Sea Lanes Of Communication (SLOCS) play a crucial role in the energy security and economic prosperity:
  • Long Maritime Boundary: With a coastline of over 7,500 km, India has a natural interest in enhancing maritime security.

  • Securing Sea lanes of Communication: In the Indian Ocean, three major Sea Lanes Of Communication (SLOCS) play a crucial role in the energy security and economic prosperity:

• India’s Maritime Initiatives:
  • Disaster Management: The fallout of the 2004 tsunami, which took a heavy toll on human and natural resources, led to the creation of an Indian Ocean Tsunami Warning and Mitigation System by the UN in 2005.
    • Through this, an international network seeks to prevent a recurrence of such devastation.
    • Anti-Piracy Operations: Faced with the increased threat from piracy originating off the coast of Somalia since 2007 to shipping in the western Indian Ocean, the Indian Navy participated robustly as part of a UNSC mandated 60-country Contact Group on Piracy off the coast of Somalia.

  • Securing Sea lanes of Communication: In the Indian Ocean, three major Sea Lanes Of Communication (SLOCS) play a crucial role in the energy security and economic prosperity:
  • Long Maritime Boundary: With a coastline of over 7,500 km, India has a natural interest in enhancing maritime security.

  • Securing Sea lanes of Communication: In the Indian Ocean, three major Sea Lanes Of Communication (SLOCS) play a crucial role in the energy security and economic prosperity:

Way Forward

• International Cooperation: Sustaining international cooperation to enhance maritime security requires two supportive frameworks in the policy and operational areas.
• Rule-of-law Based Approach: There is a need to review the operational effectiveness of the UNCLOS.
• International Cooperation: Sustaining international cooperation to enhance maritime security requires two supportive frameworks in the policy and operational areas.
• Rule-of-law Based Approach: There is a need to review the operational effectiveness of the UNCLOS.
• International Cooperation: Sustaining international cooperation to enhance maritime security requires two supportive frameworks in the policy and operational areas.
• Rule-of-law Based Approach: There is a need to review the operational effectiveness of the UNCLOS.

Source: IE