New Delhi: Several heads of state and government and key regional organisations are expected to attend Monday’s high-level open debate on Maritime Security being chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi virtually at the UN Security Council, with India holding the month-long presidency of the 15-member world body.
The open debate on ‘Enhancing Maritime Security – A Case for International Cooperation’ will be held at 1730 hours India time on Monday via video conferencing, a statement said on Sunday.
The debate will focus on ways to effectively counter maritime crime and insecurity and strengthen coordination in the maritime domain.
The UN Security Council has discussed and passed resolutions on different aspects of maritime security and maritime crime. However, this will be the first time that maritime security will be discussed in a holistic manner as an exclusive agenda item in such a high level open debate, the statement said.
“Given that no country alone can address the diverse aspects of maritime security, it is important to consider this subject in a holistic manner in the United Nations Security Council. A comprehensive approach to Maritime Security should protect and support legitimate maritime activities, while countering traditional and non-traditional threats in the maritime domain,” the statement said.
Oceans have played an important part in India’s history right from the time of the Indus Valley Civilization. Based on our civilizational ethos that sees the seas as an enabler of shared peace and prosperity, Prime Minister Narendra Modi put forward the vision of SAGAR - an acronym for ‘Security and Growth for all in the Region’ in 2015.
This vision focuses on cooperative measures for sustainable use of the oceans, and provides a framework for a safe, secure, and stable maritime domain in the region.
In 2019, at the East Asia Summit, this initiative was further elaborated through the Indo-Pacific Oceans’ Initiative (IPOI) with a focus on seven pillars of maritime security including Maritime Ecology; Maritime Resources; Capacity Building and Resource Sharing; Disaster Risk Reduction and Management; Science, Technology and Academic Cooperation; and Trade Connectivity and Maritime Transport, it said.
Modi would be the first Indian Prime Minister to preside over a UN Security Council Open Debate. The event will be broadcast live on the United Nations Security Council website. (UNI)