Madagascar FM calls Indo-Pacific a ‘legitimate vision’; bats for peaceful military ties with India

The visiting Madagascar Foreign Minister Richard Randriamandrato has called the “Indo-Pacific vision a legitimate vision", an important remark given the country's key location in the southwestern Indian Ocean.

Speaking to WION’s Principal Diplomatic Correspondent Sidhant Sibal, foreign minister Randriamandrato explained "We have to look forward and have a common willingness for common destiny…We have to strengthen dialogues to make sure that we address the issue of terrorism, the piracy, transnational organised crime, illegal fishing as well."

This is the first foreign ministerial visit from Madagascar to India in years. In 2018, Indian President Ram Nath Kovind visited the country during which two bilateral agreements in the field of defence cooperation and amendatory air services agreement were signed.

On close military ties, the foreign minister pointed out that "we will very soon think of establishing a memorandum of understanding where we can also develop technical cooperation for maritime port in Madagascar."

Close maritime cooperation has been an integral part of the ongoing engagement between the two countries. Indian Navy ships—INS Jalashwa and INS Shardul—visited the country last year.

A two-member delegation from the Indian naval forces visited the country in 2019 for a special commando training of the Malagasy armed forces and marine commandos.

WION: What is your key focus for the Delhi visit?

Richard Randriamandrato: This is my first visit to India, and I am undertaking this mission because of the situation in east Europe. The war in Ukraine is a global concern and Madagascar and India abstained from voting resolutions against pros and cons to solve this conflict at the United Nations. This is one point that we need to exchange notes with my colleague, the Minister of Foreign Affairs of India. Then there are global issues like climate change and the follow up of COP 26, as well as terrorism and, of course, the Indo-Pacific region. As you know, Madagascar is part of western side of Indian Ocean, so we came here responding to the invitation of Indian government and we are very honoured by that.

WION: How do you characterise the India-Madagascar relationship?

Richard Randriamandrato: It is an excellent relationship. For a long time, we have had established diplomatic relations since 1960, in fact, we are celebrating the anniversary this year. So, this is an excellent cooperation in various sectors. We are very happy with that.

WION: How has been cooperation amid Covid?

Richard Randriamandrato: Well, I can mention cooperation in agriculture where India continues to provide technical cooperation in detecting fertile soil where we can plant, grow rice and have better yield. We also have military cooperation.

Unfortunately, in the current context, we are a little bit criticized for why we have military cooperation with many countries like India, for example, and yet we need to continue to address the issue of national and regional defence. These are areas, especially in maritime sector, we will very soon think of establishing a Memorandum of Understanding where we can also develop technical cooperation for maritime port in Madagascar.

The main port is on the east coast of the Island which means we are much close to India than to Europe or the Americas. These are areas we want to develop with India.

WION: You mentioned military cooperation, if you can talk about how it is going in future?

Richard Randriamandrato: The Indian Navy ships —INS Jalashwa, Shardul and Kesri—were received in Madagascar during the Covid crisis in 2020 and 2021, and I recall there were navy training with the Indian Navy mobile training team, as well as transportation of materials for disaster victims. Also, donations which were provided during that time. Then there are also exchanges of experiences and visits within the framework of multilateral military events organised by India. Then also higher-level visits, there were in March 2021 in New Delhi, a meeting of Madagascar minister of national defence who came here to participate in the Indian Ocean Conference.

Then in November 2021, the chief of military also came to India. As you see, there are many opportunities for India and Madagascar to strengthen military cooperation without any biases on how we use military cooperation, be it for the Indian defence or for Madagascar. We don't have enemies in Madagascar, fortunately so it's just very friendly cooperation. It's for peaceful consideration.

WION: What is your view of the Indo-Pacific vision?

Richard Randriamandrato: I think it’s a very legitimate vision, Madagascar is situated geographically on the western side of the Indian Ocean. India is in between the Pacific and the Indian Ocean. It goes without saying that we have to look forward and have a common willingness for a common destiny, so to speak.

We have to strengthen dialogues to make sure that we address the issue of terrorism, piracy, transnational organized crime, and illegal fishing as well. The Indian Ocean and Pacific are strategic oceans for any superpower, and everyone would like to have their part sharing the responsibility to address this global issue. We see the ambition to have a common understanding of how we address this issue globally within these geographic areas. There are many countries that are concerned with these issues, and we need to enhance dialogue that we go in the same direction in the near future,

WION: Do you see some practical cooperation? like Colombo security conclave. You helped India become a member of the Indian Ocean Commission, the Djibouti Code of Conduct.

Richard Randriamandrato: As rightly said, India will be an observer of the Indian Ocean Commission as Madagascar is the chair of the commission for this year. And, we are going to make sure India will play a major role to ensure that. India is a superpower, economic and military in this region. So I think, that like this Raisina Dialogue 2022, India can send messages to neighbouring countries, to say, for example, in Sri Lanka that we need to continue avoiding any tension because that will create frustration for countries but these are difficult issues. It has economic consequences as well as social and political unrest so we shall be very prudent in finding the right balance so that Sri Lanka first of all and all neighbouring countries are in peaceful comfort.

WION: You're the chair of the Indian Ocean Commission, is anything being planned?

Richard Randriamandrato: In a year, there will be the summit and I am going to invite the Minister of Foreign Affairs of India to come and attend that summit in Madagascar. That will be a symbolic, important sign of the quality of the relationship between Madagascar and India and also in this context of the Indo-Pacific vision.

WION: So, can we see more high-level engagements?

Richard Randriamandrato: He is going to come very soon. President Andry Rajoelina is invited to come in June, and it’s an honour for my country, honour to visit India and strengthen the cooperation and relation with India.

WION: Climate change is another big worry for the region. How is your country trying to fight this scourge?

Richard Randriamandrato: First of all, our population has natural resilience, but unfortunately these days we encounter many disasters from four cyclones, even now in April there was another cyclone. It is unusual, and we have to, maybe, correct the way we prepare the population for such a natural disaster. You cannot stop cyclones. No technological solution to avoid. By the way, sometimes cyclone also brings rains, which we need for growing rice in Madagascar.

Fortunately, we have fewer rains due to climate change but with this cyclone, we correct the flow of water in the river. We have better irrigation but at the same time, we have to mitigate the bad impact of the cyclone, as it destroys houses, trees, roads. So, we are now making sure populations at lower levels are much more prepared. We will develop a policy to have a buffer stock of rice during the rainy season, which is from December to April, so that we don't have shortages of crops. We are well prepared but never protected from such a natural disaster.

WION: What is your government's stance on the Russia-Ukraine conflict?

Richard Randriamandrato: We are far from that war, from such a conflict. It is a competition for domination in this part of eastern Europe. Russia, who for 20 or years even before that, had always said that after the collapse of the Soviet Union there must be consideration of their strategic defence. Of course, later on, many pro-Soviet countries joined the EU and NATO.

We know the story of what is happening, US and Russia have nuclear capabilities competing to be more influential in Ukraine. Ukraine wishes to join European Union and maybe also the NATO, so that brings a lot of confusion in having a diplomatic dialogue in a peaceful manner. Unfortunately, the UN seems to have no teeth to establish such a peaceful environment, but I personally believe sooner or later we will listen to those who have not chosen for having a biased vision.

India, Madagascar and 58 countries abstained from such a radical position. I spoke to Indian minister Jaishankar that we need to have a neutral position and include South Africa and other countries who favour peaceful resolution of the conflict in eastern Europe. But unfortunately, I hear so much negative feedback for the time being. The tension is rising, and we continue to exchange notes and continue to have a good spirit, it is a very complicated geostrategic situation in Europe. But we are very far from that, and we don't want to get involved in any pros or cons position. We are taking a position according to our culture, our history. That is why we are much aligned with India and South Africa in that conflict.

WION: Lot of worries regarding China. India and China's ties have not been good since last year due to what happened at LAC, and there are worries over the Chinese presence in the Indian Ocean, especially with illegal fishing. What is your take on that?

Richard Randriamandrato: Nelson Mandela once said your enemy is not our enemy. Let me borrow that. We may have issues with China on illegal fishing and other issues as well, but we are not an enemy of China, and we have no enemy in Madagascar. We cooperate with everybody who would like to support us in developing our island. So, I hope the border issue will be solved between India and China. But as far as Madagascar is concerned, we have no problem with China, for the time being, we continue to cooperate and solve problems diplomatically.