Jaishankar warns against hidden agendas, unviable projects, unsustainable debt

By Kelum Bandara  

Indian External Affairs Minister Dr. S. Jaishankar who asserted that making the Indian Ocean a free, open and inclusive space, based on the UN Convention on the Law of the Seas (UNCLOS) as the Constitution of the Seas, said the member states should be equally clear where the dangers are, be it in hidden agendas, in unviable projects or in unsustainable debt.  

Making his remarks at the Press Conference of the 23rd IORA (Indian Ocean Rim Association) Council of Ministers Meeting, he said exchange of experiences, sharing of best practices, greater awareness and deeper collaboration are part of the solutions.

 He said India’s commitment to the well-being and progress of nations of the Indian Ocean, including as first responder and a net security provider, is based on its Neighbourhood First policy, on the SAGAR outlook, and on our approach to the extended neighbourhood as well. 

 “It also draws on our broader vision of an Indo-Pacific that is built on a rules-based international order, rule of law, sustainable and transparent infrastructure investment, freedom of navigation and over-flight, and sincere respect for sovereignty and territorial integrity. At the initiative of India, IORA’s outlook on the Indo-Pacific was adopted by the 22nd Council of Ministers’ meeting. We will again endeavour to give it practical shape in the days ahead,” he said.  

 He said, “The Indian Ocean is not only a significant body of water but also a crucial economic and strategic corridor, playing a key role in the development and prosperity of the nations around it and beyond it. India’s message of ‘Vasudhaiva Kutumbakam’ or ‘the world is one family’ can act as a binding force for IORA Member States. The IORA brings together 23 member states, including India, with a shared goal of harnessing the immense potential of this region for the benefit of all. India, with its extensive coastline, maritime interests, and historical ties, fully appreciates the importance of fostering collaboration and dialogue in the Indian Ocean.   

Sri Lanka assumed the chairship of IORA, an inter-governmental body comprising 23 Indian Ocean littoral states as members and 11 dialogue partners for the period between 2023 and 2025. Sri Lankan Foreign Affairs Minister Ali Sabry said Sri Lanka advocates the Indian Ocean as a zone of peace