The Indian Ocean Region is important for the sustenance and economies of a host of nations in the area. Some of the busiest sea lanes of communications run through it. The region is also experiencing the affects of Chinese coercive expansionism. Smaller nations in the area are sceptic.
The backlash against China post Covid 19 has led to countries trying to shift their logistics out of China. Under the circumstances, there is a need for greater cohesion amongst Indian Ocean region countries for security of the region, as also utilise the business opportunities that are cropping up. India has a fast developing defence industry and is willing to strengthen countries in the region to play a more substantial role.
To discuss these issues, BharatShakti's Founder Nitin A Gokhale moderated a webinar on ‘Consolidating Defence Capabilities of IOR Countries for Security of Global Commons’.

The speakers are:

RADM Sudarshan Shrikhande (Retd) has served long years at sea, commanded three ships and been defense attaché in Australia and to other South Pacific nations. Ashore, he has been commander War Room at NHQ, headed the IN’s Tactical Evaluation Group and was a founding member as a captain of the IN’s Strategy and Operations Council.
He graduated from the NDA. His holds a Masters from the Soviet Naval War College, St Petersburg (1985-88) in ASW and Weapon Engineering; Msc From Staff College(1995), MPhil from the Indian Naval War College and highest distinction from the US Naval War College (2003).

Maj Gen Moosa Jaleel is the former Chief of the Maldives National Defence Force with 32 years of service in MNDF. He is a graduate of the Defence Services Staff College, Wellington, India, and National Defence College, India.
He is a recipient of the Huravee Ran Medal, the highest gallantry award of the Maldives. After his retirement in 2012, he was the High Commissioner Extraordinary plenipotentiary to the Islamic Republic of Pakistan and thereafter as the Minister of Defence, Maldives.

Asanga Abeyagoonasekara is an International Security and Geopolitics Analyst and Strategic Advisor from Sri Lanka. He has led two Government think tanks providing strategic advocacy. With almost two decades of experience in the Government sector in advisory positions to working at Foreign Policy and Defence think tanks, he was the Founding Director-General of the National Security Think Tank under the Ministry of Defence (INSSSL) until January 2020. Before this, he has served as the Executive Director at the Foreign Policy think tank (Kadirgamar Institute LKIIRSS). He has authored several books and has written extensively and published on international journals and think tanks.

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