Visakhapatnam : Emphasizing that a peaceful and stable maritime environment was “critical for regional and global security”, Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Sunday said it should be a “shared goal and responsibility of all the seafaring countries”.
This is a clear message to China which has extended its expansionist policy to the seas, especially South China Sea, and has maritime disputes with most countries in the region, including Philippines, Japan and Vietnam.
Addressing the International Fleet Review here, Modi thanked about 50 navies from across the world that participated in the IFR. He also announced that India will host the first ever ‘Global Maritime Summit’ in April this year.
“To build on the gains from this gathering, India would host the first ever Global Maritime Summit in April this year. Its priority would be to scale up and strengthen the vibrant trade/investment/technology and commercial linkages between India and other maritime nations,” the Prime Minister said.
India, of late, has been reaching out to the countries in the Indian Ocean and in its vicinity such as Madagascar, Mozambique and Seychelles. India is also focusing on improving ties with Mauritius – the gateway to Atlantic Ocean.
Modi said world politics in present times was “turbulent”, and its challenges were “complex”. Observing that a major part of the world economy was based on sea activities, the prime minister said the oceans were the “lifelines of global prosperity”.
“They (oceans) present us with great economic opportunities to build our nations. Over 90 percent of global merchandise trade is carried on the oceans,” Modi said, adding that oceans were also critical for global energy security as over 60 percent of the world’s oil production moves through sea routes. Modi also spoke of terror and other threats which emerge from the seas.
