Sachin Malik Kochi: The 7th EAS (East Asia Summit) Conference on Maritime Security Cooperation was held in Kochi, Kerala, under India Chairmanship, with a focus on Promoting security and Stability in the region. Organized by the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA), the two-day summit Primarily aimed to Strengthen maritime Security, Stability and freedom of navigation in the Indo-Pacific Region.
According to Ministry of External Affairs spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal, the important conference was Co-Chaired by Australia Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade and the Philippines’ Department of Foreign Affairs. The Research and Information System for Developing Countries (RIS) and the National Maritime Foundation (NMF) also Played an important role as knowledge Partners in the successful conduct of the Conference.
The two-day conference was Primarily Part of the implementation of the EAS Plan of Action, with an emphasis on sustainable development in the Indo-Pacific region. During the meeting, representatives and experts from member countries held detailed discussions on four key Pillars. These included a regional blue economy model, an ocean Governance framework, maritime Security and Safety and Multilateral Cooperation.
The discussions also focused on Strengthening Maritime Domain Awareness (MDA), regional capacity-building and enhancing the capabilities of Participating Countries.
In addition, the sessions discussed Strategies to tackle maritime Piracy, Smuggling, Illegal, Unreported and Unregulated (IUU) fishing and Cyber threats to critical underwater infrastructure, including Submarine Cables.
The conference marked an important Step toward addressing Global maritime Challenges and deepening mutual trust and cooperation among countries on maritime security. India hosting of the conference further highlights its Growing role as a net security Provider in the region and on the Global Stage.
