The “Indo-Pacific Regional Dialogue 2023” IPRD 2023, the three-day annual apex-level regional strategic dialogue of the IndianNavy, commenced in New Delhi on 15 Nov 2023. Shri Jagdeep Dhankhar, the Hon’ble Vice President of India was the Chief Guest for the ‘Commemorative Session’. Smt Nirmala Sitharaman, the Hon’ble Minister of Finance and Corporate Affairs delivered the Special Address. General Anil Chauhan, CDS delivered the invitational address. The commemorative address was delivered by Adm R Hari Kumar, CNS. The Hon’ble Vice President began his Keynote Address by acknowledging that the seas were emerging as the new frontier for global contestation due to their vast economic potential. He stressed the need for a regulatory regime and its effective enforcement to contain the possibility of contesting claims of the seas and its assets. General Anil Chauhan, CDS during his invitational address at professional session themed “Maritime Connectivity Initiatives Across the Indo-Pacific” highlighted the historical as well as contemporary salience of the Indo-Pacific, drawing upon India’s vision and perspective for the region. Adm R Hari Kumar, CNS emphasised India’s growing prowess as a maritime power in his Commemorative Address. The CNS also emphasized the relevance of maritime corridors and its huge impacts on security, the economy and the geopolitical environment, through the example of the Suez Canal obstruction by MV Evergiven in Mar 2021, which led to an estimated loss of $ 54 billion in global trade. The Hon’ble Vice President released a book entitled “Building Partnerships – India and International Cooperation for Maritime Security” and the Hon’ble Finance Minister released an edited volume entitled “Maritime Perspectives: Maritime Security Dynamics in the Indo-Pacific: Strategies and Trends”. Both the books have been published by the NMF. The IPRD-2023 is being organised by the Indian Navy in association with NMF as its knowledge partner. Established in 2005, the NMF is one of India’s foremost maritime think-tank that concentrates its research upon issues relevant to India’s maritime interests.
