6th Indian Ocean Conference: Better connectivity respecting sovereignty should be priority, says Jaishankar in Dhaka

“Connectivity is a crucial issue as the era of imperialism disrupted the natural linkages of the continent and created regional silos that served its own end. Restoring and enhancing flows between distinct regions is of utmost priority. Improving and enhancing connectivity should be our priority.

For countries like India, a land connect to SouthEast Asia and a multi-model one to the Gulf and Central Asia offers its own distinct challenges but the more we work collectively on a smooth connectivity, we will be better off.  But we need to respect sovereignty and territorial integrity. So let me underline, for India, an effective and efficient connectivity to ASEAN will be a game changer,” he said.

At the session, addressed also by Bangladesh Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, Mauritius President Prithviraj Singh Rupun, Maldives Vice President Faisal Naseem among others, Jaishankar stressed on the need for the countries to take the long view of cooperation as any nation disregarding the legal obligation or violating long standing agreements could damage trust and confidence among the member nations.

Over 25 ministers, state ministers or deputy ministers are participating in the conference jointly organised by the Bangladesh foreign ministry and the India Foundation, a New Delhi-based think tank.

There are distinct challenges, aspirations and agenda for each country in the region and that there are their distinctive pathways to progress, he said. Citing the example of the BIMSTEC under which “the members are cognisant of the challenges they have in governance and modernisation  but dealing with them through deeper cooperation and shared efforts,” the Indian foreign minister said the Indian Ocean cooperation should build up by nurturing such building blocks.

According to him, the nations require to simultaneously address the needs of the Indian Ocean, the Indo-Pacific and its constituent regions. “These are not alternatives but actually self-supporting activities. Naturally there are aspects of specificity, but equally there are broader principles that apply to all. For example, the importance of adhering to law, observing norms and respecting rules is a natural convergence point. It is not possible to build a stable international order without these prerequisites. It is especially so in a continent that has seen so much growth, so much change,” he said.

When a nation disregards the legal obligation, violates long standing agreements, it damages the trust and confidence. It is therefore essential for all the nations to take the long view of cooperation, Jaishankar said.

Another concern for the countries in the region is the unsustainable debt generated by unviable projects. “There are lessons from the last two decades. If we encourage opaque lending practices, exorbitant ventures and price points that are unrelated to the market are bound to bite us back sooner than later. Especially so when sovereign guarantees have been proffered,” he said.

Jaishankar  said  while the world has seized the larger domain of the Indo pacific the issues and challenges of each core constituents or each nation in the Indian Ocean cooperation should not be underplayed. Pointing out that many nations at the Indian Ocean still address developmental challenges that may longer be relevant even while impressing the essential coherence of the Indo Pacific, Jaishankar said those in the Indo Pacific should focus determinately on the Indian Ocean nations and their challenges.

He also said many nations in the region today are confronting consequences of our own past choices.

The Indian foreign minister also urged the nations in the Indian Ocean region to see that maritime security is a shared responsibility.

“We must discharge that global good should not be sacrificed at the altar of any national dominance,” he said. “Diplomacy cannot rest merely by articulating a position that equally needs practical action,” he added. The minister also stressed on climate action and counter terrorism initiatives. “We must also be conscious of the threats to social fabrics posed by extremism and fundamentalism taking advantage of democratic openness. Cost of not doing so is also starkly apparent to all of us today.”

Jaishankar said India is committed to the wellbeing and progress of all nations of the Indian Ocean. Pointing out that the country has dedicated bodies like the Indian Ocean Rim Association or the Indian Ocean Naval Symposium with specific mandate, he said: “We expand on that belief through the ‘neighbourhood first’ policy, the SAGAR outlook and our approach to the extended neighbourhood.”

India Foundation president Ram Madhav made the welcome speech.

The two-day Indian Ocean Conference — with the theme Peace Prosperity and Partnership for a Resilient Future — is being held in Dhaka to discuss how the countries of the Indian Ocean region can promote economic development while maintaining peace and stability.

During the day, there were panel discussions on a roadmap for an economically sustainable future in the Indo Pacific, forging partnership for peace and prosperity, and dealing with non-traditional security challenges for a peaceful and sustainable Indo-Pacific.