Nine Asean countries to take part in naval meet

NEW DELHI: In a much-needed boost for India’s Look-East policy, nine out the 10 Asean countries are participating in the Indian Navy’s biennial gathering of the navies of the Indian Ocean region.
The large participation by the Asean countries is being seen as a significant development and is a boost for India’s naval diplomacy. Except for Laos, all the other nine Asean countries — Brunei, Cambodia, Indonesia, Malaysia, Myanmar, Philippines, Singapore, Thailand and Vietnam — are participating in this year’s gathering called Milan 2008, where navies look at common concerns in the Indian Ocean Region and seek joint initiatives.

With India seeking to give some substance and push to it’s Look-East policy, the Asean countries participation in the naval gathering is seen as an endorsement of India’s naval prowess and willingness to work with India to keep vigil over the waters around Andaman and the Malacca Straits, which is also an important trading route.

The biennial gathering of navies has been growing since its inception in 1995. In 2006, eight countries participated, while in 2003 only seven countries took part in the initiative. In 2008, apart from the Asean countries, the navies of Bangladesh, Sri Lanka, Australia and New Zealand are also participating in Milan 2008.

It is not just through the Milan initiative that India is reaching out to cement friendships among the Indian Ocean countries and others. In another initiative to promote security in the Indian Ocean region, the Indian Navy in collaboration with the ministry of external affairs is all set to is host a regional Naval Chiefs Conclave and International Symposium on the Indian Ocean region from February 13-19.

Thirty-one countries, mainly Indian Ocean countries, have been invited. Iran and Pakistan are yet to give their confirmation. But Australia, Singapore, Indonesia, Malaysia, Thailand, New Zealand, Saudi Arabia and Kuwait have already confirmed their participation. The symposium, which has been planned on the lines of the Western Pacific Naval Symposium of the US Navy, will further push India’s naval diplomacy.

The Navy has also set up a permanent grouping called Indian Ocean Naval Symposium. The event, which will follow a session of the Chiefs of Naval Staffs of the participating countries, will include discussions on issues like sea piracy, terrorism and safeguarding of sea lanes in the Bay of Bengal, Arabian Sea and the Red Sea. The meeting has been confined to littoral states of the Indian Ocean.