India aspires to create a fair maritime order based on international rules and freedom of navigation, Defense Minister Rajnath Singh said on Thursday, adding that a comprehensive global maritime architecture can further strengthen the legal framework provided by the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS) to address matters related to international waters.
“The role of navies in international peacemaking has increased over time. There has been tremendous economic growth over the past few decades. There has also been a rise in competition over ownership of straits and canals, sometimes causing fire threats. Increasing international interest in underwater resources, especially rare earth minerals, adds a new dimension to this tension,” Singh said in Vizag.
He was addressing naval commanders and heads of delegations of 74 countries during the opening ceremony of the multilateral Milan exercise. His comments come at a time when China is trying to consolidate its hold over the Indian Ocean region, a strategic maritime space where challenges include Beijing’s carefully calculated power play for influence and defense of the rules-based international order.
He stressed the need to protect the seas from evil terrorist activities that spread their tentacles across countries and regions. Traditional threats coexist with emerging challenges such as piracy, maritime terrorism, illegal fishing, trafficking, cyber vulnerabilities and disruption of critical supply chains, Singh said.
Noting that the existing international order is experiencing disruption, he said platforms like Milan bring together professional expertise, build mutual trust, enhance interoperability, and enable coordinated responses to common challenges.
“When our ships sail together, when our Sailors train together, and when our leaders deliberate together, we build a common understanding that transcends geography and politics and provides an opportune moment to deliberate on this idea of cooperation.”
Navy Chief Admiral Dinesh K Tripathi likened Milan to a Mahakumbh, where maritime professionals from all over the world come together, united by a common commitment and a common goal to keep the seas safe, secure and open. He said that a maritime nation like India recognizes that today’s maritime challenges are complex, interconnected and transnational, and are best addressed through cooperation and partnership.
The Ministry of Defense said that the training aims to deepen professional relationships, enhance operational compatibility, and enhance common understanding of contemporary maritime challenges in an increasingly interconnected security environment. On the sidelines of the exercises, Singh interacted with naval commanders and heads of delegations of nine ASEAN member states and described the bloc as a key pillar of India’s strategy in the Indo-Pacific region.
