Future conflicts will be sea-centric, says M J Akbar

PANAJI: Union minister M J Akbar has said future conflicts would be sea-centric and warned that the countries which did not address economic aspirations of their masses would be in a terrible state.

The minister of state for external affairs said emerging security challenges from "sea, sky and space" faced by the world needed to be addressed by a doctrine.

Akbar was speaking last evening at the inaugural session of 'Sagar Discourse 1.0', a three-day conference on maritime security, organised by the Forum for Integrated National Security (FINS) in South Goa.


"The land is getting exhausted. Even the water on the land is getting exhausted. It is happening right in front of us.

"So when land gets exhausted and green becomes brown, the option that the mankind has is to look at the blue (sea). Therefore, the conflict area will become more and more sea-centric," said the journalist-turned-politician.

Akbar said challenges in this century will be centred around 4S - sea, skies, space, security - and the answer to this problem is S5 which includes solution.

"You can actually use these realities to create harmony rather than conflict but for that you need a mindset and a doctrine," he said.

Sharing his thoughts on modern-era conflicts, the Union minister said the solution lies in addressing the economic aspiration of the masses.

The countries which do not address the economic aspiration of their masses will be in a terrible state, he warned.