The fourth edition of the Goa Maritime Conclave (GMC) was recently highlighted in the news when the Chief of the Naval Staff Admiral emphasised on strengthening partnerships such as Indo-Pacific Maritime Domain Awareness (IPMDA) to ensure security in the Indian Ocean Region (IOR).
Indo-Pacific Maritime Domain Awareness (IPMDA)
Introduced by the Quad group (India, Australia, Japan, and the US) at the Tokyo summit, 2022, IPMDA has been designed to monitor dark shipping and provide an all-encompassing real-time overview of the maritime situation in partner countries’ waters. Dark shipping refers to vessels operating with their Automatic Identification System (AIS) disabled, a system that reveals a ship’s position, identification data, and other vital information.
Objectives and Importance of IPMDA
IPMDA is a significant initiative aimed at enhancing the security and stability of the Indo-Pacific region, a highly strategic area in global geopolitics. The project strives to establish a system for monitoring and securing maritime activities while ensuring the safety of critical sea lines of communication and fostering co-operation among like-minded nations.
Role of the Navy
Given the essential role of the IOR and Indo Pacific, making efforts towards modernising the Navy is critical. The current goal is for the Navy, with over 140 ships and submarines, to expand to around 170-180 by 2028, and aim to be fully AtmaNirbhar by 2047.
Achievements and Progress of GMC
The GMC has successfully fostered collaboration among the navies in the Indian Ocean region. This has led to coordinated efforts in responding to natural disasters, joint exercises, and sharing crucial maritime information. Other achievements include an effective response to piracy threats and an improvement in Maritime Domain Awareness (MDA) due to enhanced intelligence and information sharing.
Challenges Related to the Indian Ocean Region
The Indian Ocean region is a focal point for geopolitical competition among major powers and regional actors. China’s militarization has also posed a challenge to India’s stability and interests in the region. Other threats include piracy, smuggling, illegal fishing, terrorism, and environmental challenges such as climate change and marine pollution.
Way Forward
Driving blue economy initiatives can promote sustainable growth as the IOR is rich in marine resources. Further plans include enhancing maritime security, strengthening information-sharing mechanisms, utilizing technology for MDA, conducting joint naval exercises and patrols, and fostering cooperation in countering maritime threats. It’s also essential to focus on building resilience against climate change impacts and facilitating regional cooperation for climate change adaptation and mitigation.
UPSC Civil Services Examination Questions
In past exams, questions related to the Indian Ocean Rim Association for Regional Cooperation (IOR-ARC) and maritime territorial disputes in the South China sea have been asked. These questions underscore the importance of safeguarding maritime security, freedom of navigation, and overflight in the region.
