Jaishankar Says Respect for Sovereignty Is Essential for the Rebirth of the Indian Ocean Region

In a covert assault on China, which is stretching its regional muscles, India stated on Wednesday that a multilateral, rules-based international order, together with genuine respect for sovereignty and territorial integrity, remains the basis for revitalizing the Indian Ocean as a powerful community.

External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar stated at the 23rd Council of Ministers Meeting of the Indian Ocean Rim Association (IORA) in this location that it is crucial to preserve the Indian Ocean as a free, open, and inclusive space based on the UN Convention on the Law of the Seas (UNCLOS), which serves as the seas’ Constitution.

At the key conference, India was elected to serve as the IORA’s Vice-Chair for the years 2023–25. Jaishankar stated, “We will continue our strategy of helping to create capacity and ensure safety and security in the Indian Ocean region, including as a first responder and a net security provider.

“A multilateral rules-based international order, along with sincere respect for sovereignty and territorial integrity, remains the foundation for reviving the Indian Ocean as a strong community,” the official added.

The Indian Ocean, he claimed, occupies a key position in the resurgence of Asia and the global rebalancing, playing a significant role in the growth and prosperity of the littoral nations by supporting trade and sustaining livelihoods and providing vast opportunities for connectivity and resource exploitation. The idea that “the world is one family” may unite the IORA Member States, he added, is what “Vasudhaiva Kutumbakam” stands for.

As the Troika’s vice chair and a member, India, according to Jaishankar, has clear goals. We are working to create an Indian Ocean community that is robust, resilient, and able to work closely together both inside the ocean and in response to events that occur outside of it, he added.

He added that the spirit of 1971, to which his Sri Lankan colleague referred, should continue to guide our outlook, discouraging any hidden agendas to the contrary. “It is thus important to maintain the Indian Ocean as a free, open and inclusive space based on the UN Convention on the Law of the Seas (UNCLOS), as the Constitution of the Seas,” he said.

In addition to engaging in fiercely disputed territorial conflicts in both the South China Sea (SCS) and the East China Sea (ECS), China has been testing its military might in the strategically important area.

According to Jaishankar, the challenges we face include lack of robust connectivity, the burden of opaque and unsustainable debt resulting from unprofitable projects, threats to the social fabric posed by fundamentalism and extremism, dangers arising from terrorism, natural disasters, and climate change.

“As the world’s friend and a voice of the Global South for the next two years, India will work with IORA Member States to strengthen IORA’s institutional, financial, and legal framework in order to realize the full potential of this dynamic grouping,” he added.

As a coordinating nation, he said that India’s particular emphasis would be on Maritime Safety & Security and Blue Economy. According to the need, India would also contribute to other IORA priority and cross-cutting areas.

The conference will be attended by 16 ministers, including the foreign ministers of Bangladesh, Iran, Mauritius, Malaysia, and South Africa. Jaishankar is one of them.