India and France have pledged to jointly assess and address maritime threats in the Indian Ocean Region (IOR), focusing on issues such as piracy, maritime terrorism, smuggling, illegal fishing, cybersecurity threats, and marine pollution.
The agreement was reached during the 7th India-France Maritime Cooperation Dialogue in New Delhi on January 14, according to a statement released by the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) on Monday. The dialogue was co-chaired by Pavan Kapoor, Deputy National Security Advisor of India, and Alice Rufo, Director General for International Relations and Strategy at France’s Ministry for the Armed Forces.
In a joint declaration, the two nations underscored their shared commitment to maritime security. “India and France agreed to develop a joint assessment of the threats to maritime security in the region, including piracy, armed robbery, maritime terrorism, contraband smuggling, Illegal, Unreported, and Unregulated (IUU) fishing, hybrid and cyber threats, and marine pollution,” the statement read.
Both sides reaffirmed their shared vision of ensuring security in the IOR, emphasizing the importance of upholding international law, supporting multilateralism through regional organizations, and maintaining respect for sovereignty, territorial integrity, and freedom of navigation.
Discussions during the dialogue centred on enhancing bilateral cooperation in maritime security, a cornerstone of the India-France Strategic Partnership.
“Building on the joint strategic vision established in 2018, this dialogue aims to strengthen collaboration for free and secure access to sea lanes of communication,” the MEA noted.
India and France agreed to bolster existing cooperation mechanisms, including improved information exchange between key maritime security hubs in the IOR:
- The Information Fusion Centre-Indian Ocean Region (IFC-IOR) in Gurugram, India.
- The Regional Coordination Operations Centre in Seychelles.
- The Regional Maritime Information Fusion Centre in Madagascar.
The two nations also discussed exploring opportunities for coordinated surveillance to counter threats in the IOR and committed to supporting each other’s maritime security initiatives.
Recognizing the importance of environmental sustainability, India and France pledged to protect marine biodiversity and resources in the Indian Ocean. They emphasized their commitment to advancing regional efforts in biodiversity conservation and promoting blue economy initiatives as part of the Indian Ocean Rim Association (IORA).
Both countries also agreed to collaborate under the United Nations Ocean Conference to ensure the sustainable use and management of marine resources.
“This dialogue reaffirmed the mutual support between India and France in advancing maritime security and sustainability, ensuring a stable and prosperous Indian Ocean Region,” the statement concluded.
By strengthening their maritime security and environmental conservation partnership, India and France continue to underscore the strategic importance of the Indian Ocean as a vital region for global stability and prosperity.
Team BharatShakti
