India and France agreed to develop a joint assessment of maritime threats, focusing on piracy, maritime terrorism, smuggling, illegal fishing, cybersecurity risks and marine pollution in the Indian Ocean Region.
The commitment was made during the seventh India-France Maritime Cooperation Dialogue that was held in Delhi on January 14, the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) said in a statement on Monday. The dialogue was co-chaired by Pavan Kapoor, Deputy National Security Advisor, and Alice Rufo, Director General for International Relations and Strategy, Ministry for the Armed Forces, France.
Both sides reaffirmed their shared vision for maritime security and emphasised upholding international law, supporting multilateralism through regional organisations, and ensuring respect for sovereignty, territorial integrity, and freedom of navigation.
“Building on the joint strategic vision of India-France cooperation in the IOR established in 2018, the dialogue aimed to strengthen collaboration for free and secure access to sea lanes of communication,” the MEA statement said.
France welcomed the participation of the Indian Navy in the Combined Maritime Forces and expressed optimism about India’s future leadership roles within the appropriate Combined Task Forces.
To enhance cooperation, India and France will bolster information exchange mechanisms, including the Information Fusion Centre-Indian Ocean Region (IFC-IOR) in Gurugram and regional centres in Seychelles and Madagascar. They will also explore coordinated surveillance to counter threats to maritime security and strengthen bilateral engagements in the region.
Highlighting their commitment to environmental conservation, India and France pledged to protect marine biodiversity and resources in the Indian Ocean Region, according to the statement.
They agreed to continue collaboration under the framework of the United Nations Ocean Conference and further regional efforts in biodiversity and blue economy initiatives as members of the Indian Ocean Rim Association (IORA).
“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 further read.
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