The Indo-Pacific Regional Dialogue 2023 IPRD2023, the annual apex-level regional strategic dialogue of the IndianNavy, continued on 16 Nov 2023 in New Delhi. The three-day conference is being conducted from 15 November 2023 to 17 November 2023. The theme of the two professional sessions on the second day was “Maritime Connectivity through Shipping and Trade”. The day’s proceedings commenced with a special address by Admiral Karambir Singh (Retd), Chairman of the NMF, and former CNS. In his address, Admiral Karambir Singh offered a nuanced perspective of maritime connectivity and elaborated upon its six inter-related aspects. He also prognosticated about the potential advancements in shipping and port-connectivity in his talk. The special address was followed by the release of a report “India-Vietnam Dyadic Approached to Holistic Maritime Security in the Indo-Pacific” by Admiral R Hari Kumar, CNS.
In the course of discussions that ensued in the first session, eminent panellists from Bangladesh, Canada, India, the UK and the USA, lent their expertise in deliberations on specific issues which included the contemporary and future influence of China on maritime ports, shipping, and trade, specifically in respect of island states of the Indian Ocean and the South Pacific; the opportunities, challenges, and prognosis of the Chennai-Vladivostok corridor; a comparative analysis of ‘Flags of Convenience’ versus national ownership and flagging; and the challenges of ship-recycling in the Indian Ocean Region and solutions thereof.
The Hon’ble Minister Shri Sarbananda Sonowal, Minister of Ports, Shipping and Waterways delivered Special Address acknowledging the sterling role of the Indian Navy and the NMF in furthering maritime thought in India, especially among the population, through initiatives such as the IPRD. On completion of his address, the Hon’ble Minister released a book entitled “Shipbuilding Trends and the Rise of Indo-Pacific”, published by the NMF.
The second session of the day built upon the previous one, and explored in greater detail the trade and shipping facets of maritime connectivity in the Indian Ocean. The second day of the IPRD 2023 concluded with an enthralling cultural display of Indian dance forms by the School of Creative Hands (SOCH), at the resplendent Manekshaw Centre in New Delhi.
