Freedom of navigation and respect for international law should remain pivotal priorities: Rajnath Singh

Defence Minister Rajnath Singh said on Wednesday that secure sea lanes, freedom of navigation, respect for international law and unhindered maritime trade should remain pivotal priorities as they are crucial for the growth and prosperity of the Indian Ocean Region.

Singh made the remarks at a public event after holding what he called an “extremely productive” meeting with Sri Lankan President Anura Kumara Dissanayake, during which they reaffirmed that as civilisational twins, close neighbours and maritime partners, India and Sri Lanka would continue to work jointly to ensure the safety, security, peace and prosperity of the region.

Speaking on “India-Sri Lanka Maritime Cooperation in the Indian Ocean Region – Civilisational Partners with Intertwined Destinies” in Colombo, Singh said Indian and Sri Lankan ports can become engines of shared economic growth, while their maritime industries can become drivers for the future prosperity of the region.

Singh, who arrived in Colombo on Tuesday for a three-day visit, becoming the first Indian defence minister to visit Sri Lanka in 38 years, said freedom of navigation and ensuring open trade routes are crucial for the growth and prosperity of the region. “Therefore, secure sea lanes, freedom of navigation, respect for international law, unhindered maritime trade and commerce should remain our pivotal priorities,” he said. “It is essential that we work together towards shaping a favourable, secure maritime environment, remaining ready to address emerging maritime challenges in the first instance, before they become a serious threat to our developmental interests and the bright future of our region,” he added.

Earlier, addressing Sri Lankan Deputy Defence Minister Aruna Jayasekara and the commanders of the Sri Lankan Army, Navy and Air Force at the Ministry of Defence in Colombo, Singh said maritime security was closely linked to the collective security and economic prosperity of the Indian Ocean region. Given their shared maritime space, he said, neither India nor Sri Lanka could remain indifferent to developments in the region. While acknowledging progress made through capacity-building initiatives and joint military exercises, Singh called for further strengthening the longstanding defence partnership, particularly in the maritime domain. “We need to devise and implement joint protocols, sharpen the skills and share experiences to deal with emerging threats arising from the rapidly evolving global and regional dynamics. It needs to be a continuous process,” he said.

Singh also proposed integrated Maritime Domain Awareness cooperation and a joint maritime Humanitarian Assistance and Disaster Relief mechanism, building on existing bilateral cooperation that already covers search and rescue, counter-narcotics, anti-piracy and human trafficking. During his visit, Singh laid a wreath at the Indian Peace Keeping Force (IPKF) Memorial in Colombo and paid homage to the bravehearts who served there.