India and UK hold inaugural maritime dialogue

NEWDELHI : India and the UK held their inaugural maritime dialogue on Monday, discussing a range of issues including Indo-Pacific cooperation.

Holding of the dialogue was decided upon in the India-UK Roadmap 2030 for future relations that was adopted at the Virtual Summit between the Prime Ministers of the two countries in May this year, said the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) in a statement.

The consultations held in a virtual format were led by the two Foreign Ministries.

The dialogue involved exchanges on cooperation in the maritime domain, Indo-Pacific and regional/ multilateral cooperation, the MEA informed.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi and UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson held a Virtual Summit on May 4, during which they adopted an ‘ambitious Roadmap 2030’ to elevate bilateral ties to a ‘Comprehensive Strategic Partnership’.

The Roadmap will pave the way for a deeper and stronger engagement over the next ten years in the key areas of people to people contacts, trade and economy, defense and security, climate action and health.

Point No.15 Maritime Cooperation of the Roadmap 2030 says that the two countries would promote freedom of navigation and open access, and improve maritime cooperation through a partnership in the Western Indian Ocean, with a new Maritime Dialogue, Grey and Dark Shipping information sharing and mechanisms for operational co-ordination all in place.

Sub-point 1.6 agrees to enhance India-UK engagement within the Indian Ocean Rim Association (IORA) framework as UK is a Dialogue Partner in IORA.

Whereas, under sub-point 1.7 of the Roadmap 2030 document, the two countries would enhance convergences and work together on the broader Indo-Pacific Agenda to maintain peace, stability, safety and security in the Indo-Pacific region, and explore the potential for cooperation under the Indo-Pacific Oceans Initiative (IPOI).

Source : India News Network