GS Paper III
News Excerpt:
Recently, the second edition of India, Australia, Indonesia Trilateral Maritime Security Workshop (TMSW) has been concluded.
About the workshop:
- The exercise was conducted from May 15 to 17, at INS Dronacharya, Kochi, India, under the aegis of Headquarters Southern Naval Command and witnessed participation of delegates from the three participating Navies.
Theme
- The theme of the workshop was 'Indian Ocean Region: Collaborative Efforts to Enhance Regional Maritime Security', chosen to discuss ongoing maritime security challenges and opportunities for collaboration between the three maritime neighbours in the region, as stated by the Defence Ministry.
Significance of the workshop
The three Navies emphasised on the following areas during discussions:
- Exploration of present-day opportunities and challenges in the Indian Ocean Region (IOR).
- Evaluation of information exchange mechanisms and capabilities of the IFC-IOR.
- Maritime Domain Awareness initiatives.
- Examination of non-traditional and illicit maritime activities.
- Maritime Law enforcement measures.
- Capability enhancement and capacity building strategies.
- Identification of avenues for enhancing interoperability and cooperation among stakeholders.
Geostrategic Importance of Indian Ocean Region (IOR):
- Geopolitical Hub: The Indian Ocean, at the nexus of Africa, Asia, and Australia, hosts critical choke points like the Strait of Hormuz and Strait of Malacca, vital for global trade.
- Security Nexus: Islands in the Indian Ocean bolster security architecture, aiding naval presence and patrols along key sea routes, particularly in safeguarding oil transport from the Middle East.
- Strategic Dynamics: Security dynamics, especially in the Persian Gulf, are pivotal for regional stability, with India focusing on protecting vital sea lanes from piracy threats.
- Indian Navy's Role: India deploys warships to ensure safe passage for its vessels and operates the Information Fusion Centre–Indian Ocean Region (IFC-IOR) to enhance maritime domain awareness.
- Competing Powers: Regional as well as global powers vie for influence in the Indian Ocean, highlighting its strategic significance as a geopolitical hotspot.
New challenges in Indian Ocean region
- Illegal Migration: Rohingyas have migrated illegally into Indian territory via land and riverine-maritime routes of the Bengal delta.
- Human Trafficking: Victims, primarily from Bangladesh and India, are trafficked to Southeast Asian countries across the Bay of Bengal region.
- Drug Trafficking: Seaborne drug trafficking originates from Myanmar along the Andaman Sea and Malacca Strait, transporting methamphetamine to Southeast Asian countries, Australia, and Japan.
- Maritime Terrorism:Many littoral countries in the Bay of Bengal region are either victims of terror attacks or serve as breeding grounds for terrorism. According to the 2024 Global Terrorism Index, Myanmar ranked 9th and India 14th in terms of the impact of terrorism.
- Climate Crisis:The increasing incidence of sea level rise and the sinking of small island states like the Maldives and Indonesia is expected to create a refugee crisis across the region.
Conclusion:
The event delved into various topics pertinent to maritime security. Discussions spanned information exchange mechanisms, capabilities of IFC-IOR, Maritime Domain Awareness, non-traditional and illicit maritime activities, Maritime Law enforcement, capability enhancement, capacity building, and avenues for enhancing interoperability and cooperation in the region.
