Dhaka, Bangladesh

On the sidelines of the two-day 6th Indian Ocean Conference being held in Dhaka, External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar, in an exclusive conversation with WION's Sidhant Sibal, underscored the need for upholding the Law of the Seas. The foreign minister highlighted that the countries in the region should have "orderly, acceptable consensus on maritime activities" and there must be adherence and respect for the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS).

Advertisment

EAM also spoke at length on the key issues of the debt crisis in the region and stressed the greater need to have more transparency in lending. Bangladesh is hosting the 6th Indian Ocean Conference (IOC) from 12-13 May in the capital city of Dhaka. With respect to India's relationship with Bangladesh, Jaishankar stressed how the relationship will give Indian northeastern states a much better chance at accessing the world. 

Also Read | Several reported injured after Ukrainian missiles strike in Luhansk; Russia admits retreat north of Bakhmut

Here is the complete interview: 

Advertisment

WION: What is the main agenda of the Indian Ocean Conference? What Delhi can bring in the region on various issues, including security, climate change or connectivity? 

Jaishankar: This is the sixth conference and over this period it has evolved a lot. Today, it is the premiere platform to bring together all the countries of the Indian Ocean. Indo-Pacific is very much the fashion nowadays. There is a lot of acceptance of it. There is a lot of understanding of it. Not just in this part of the world but also in Europe and in America. But we should not forget that the Indian Ocean is the core constituent of the Indo-Pacific and the Indian Ocean has its own issues. Most of them are developing countries, and lots of them are post-colonial countries, connectivity is an issue, growth is an issue, and debt is an issue. So, there are a particular set of concerns that are the natural agenda for the Indian Ocean and that is what really the conference is all about. 

Also Read | CNN's Anderson Cooper defends network's decision to hold Trump townhall

Advertisment

WION: What are the main concerns, you also mentioned UNCLOS and the debt crisis and how they can be resolved by all the countries collaborating together. 

Jaishankar: In my speech, in a limited time, you want to flag the key issues. I flagged UNCLOS because in a sense UNCLOS is the constitution of the oceans. So, adherence to UNCLOS and respect for UNCLOS is essential. We are to have an orderly, acceptable consensus on maritime activities but there are some very specific problems. You spoke about connectivity how connectivity got disrupted and how we need to rebuild it. I also talked about debt and viable projects in this part of the world, we are seeing countries struggling with that, countries struggling with projects where lending has not been transparent, where the return on investment is not realistic and it has put countries under pressure so it is important we learn from lessons. It should not be that one country's problems are only that country's problems. I think there are lessons for everybody else. I think that needs to be flagged. So I would also say that the idea of collaboration itself among countries is essential because you are talking about a vast space. 

WION: We have Indian Ocean Rim Association (IORA) as well. How is India taking the lead in this specific grouping?

Jaishankar: IORA is an established organisation. It has its own agenda, has its own practices, and mechanisms. I mentioned Indian Ocean Rim Association (IORA) and the Indian Ocean Naval Symposium (IONS). The president of Mauritius mentioned Indian Ocean Commission. I also mentioned the Bay of Bengal Initiative for Multi-Sectoral Technical and Economic Cooperation (BIMSTEC). Remember this is the place where the BIMSTEC secretariat is located. So there are a lot of organisations. It is good you are covering this. The Indian Ocean should get attention. I am sure we will have a very good discussion. 

Watch the full interview here:  

×

WION: You are visiting Bangladesh. How is the relationship between the two countries because there is an increased momentum between the two countries? It is termed as a 'Sonali Adhyay' or the golden phase in the relationship as well. If you can talk about that.

Jaishankar: The relationship has been going on very well, particularly in the last decade. We have seen it growing in every possible sense. When you look at trade, when you look at investment, the movement of people, the projects we are doing, the infrastructure which is helping both the countries. When you see the roads, the railways, the use of ports. And from an Indian perspective, there is obviously a Bangladeshi perspective and interest. But from an Indian perspective, it has great significance where the northeast is concerned because a strong partnership with Bangladesh will give our northeastern states a much better chance at actually accessing the world, in interacting with the rest of the region. The very fact that we are doing this conference here, that itself is a statement of comfort and my coming here, obviously it is for the conference but it is always a pleasure to come to Bangladesh and every visit shows me how much further the relationship has come. 

WATCH WION LIVE HERE

You can now write for wionews.com and be a part of the community. Share your stories and opinions with us here.