Discussions on enhancing cooperation in Indian Ocean Region held at 7th India-France Maritime Cooperation Dialogue

New Delhi [India], January 20 (ANI): The 7th India-France Maritime Cooperation Dialogue held in New Delhi focused on discussions on enhancing cooperation in the Indian Ocean Region and reaffirmed both countries shared vision for maritime security.

The dialogue held on January 14 co-chaired by Pavan Kapoor, Deputy National Security Advisor, National Security Council Secretariat, India, and Alice Rufo, Director General for International Relations and Strategy, Ministry for the Armed Forces, France, according to an official release from Ministry of External Affairs.

According to the release, both countries discussed enhancing their cooperation in the Indian Ocean Region and reaffirmed their shared vision for maritime security, a key element of the India-France Strategic Partnership.

India and France reiterated their strong commitment to upholding international law, supporting multilateralism, including through regional organisations, respect for sovereignty and territorial integrity, and protecting freedom of navigation, the release added.

Recalling their vision for a free and open Indian Ocean Region, first expressed in the ‘Joint Strategic Vision of India-France Cooperation in the Indian Ocean Region’ in 2018, India and France agreed to support free and secure access to sea lanes of communications through collaboration between their maritime assets and organisations. France welcomed the participation of the Indian Navy in the Combined Maritime Forces and looks forward to India’s leadership of the appropriate Combined Task Forces, the release stated.

India and France agreed to develop a joint assessment of the threats to maritime security in the region; to counter illicit maritime activities, including piracy and armed robbery, maritime terrorism, contraband smuggling, Illegal Unreported and Unregulated fishing; hybrid as well as cyber security threats and marine pollution.

Both countries agreed to strengthen existing mechanisms of cooperation such as implementation of the agreed framework of exchange of information through enhanced information exchange between Information Fusion Centre-Indian Ocean Region, Gurugram and Regional Coordination Operations Centre, Seychelles and Regional Maritime Information Fusion Centre, Madagascar in the Indian Ocean Region and explore opportunities for coordinated surveillance whilst deployed to counter threats to maritime security in the region. India and France committed to mutually support each other in maritime security engagements and constructs, the release stated.

As part of their joint commitment towards the conservation of biodiversity and the protection of oceans, India and France also agreed to preserve marine resources in the Indian Ocean Region, through the United Nations Ocean Conference. Both countries welcomed the progress made on biodiversity and blue economy during the last bilateral dialogue on blue economy and ocean governance, and agreed to pursue cooperation at the regional level, as members of the Indian Ocean Rim Association, the release added