India committed to maritime security: Sushma Swaraj

--‘Odisha rich in maritime trade’

BHUBANESWAR: “We are committed to maritime security, freedom of navigation and peaceful settlement of disputes in the Indian Ocean Region (IOR),” said External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj while inaugurating the three-day international conference on maritime trade in the IOR countries organised here on Friday.

Swaraj said maritime security is an important dimension of India’s bilateral relations with all Indian Ocean Littoral States and through various formal and informal structures currently in place. “We have been working with like-minded countries to preserve the integrity, inviolability and security of maritime domain which is a global commos,” she added.

As the region is facing problems like piracy, terrorism, drug trafficking, illegal fishing and oil spills, she said the maritime security need to be strengthened to create a path for development of the blue economy.

Taking the names of IOR countries, Swaraj said time has come to work together to promote increased cooperation in trade, tourism and investment, infrastructure development, marine science and technology, sustainable fisheries and protection of marine environment in the region.

In the IOR region, she said, global trade expanded by 3.5 times from USD 1,224 billion in 2003 to USD 4,232 billion in 2012 whereas intra-regional trade increased by more than four times from USD 302 billion to USD 1,230 billion over the same period.

The Union Minister praised Odisha for its rich tradition of maritime trade. She suggested delegates to visit the Sun Temple of Konark to know about the rich maritime history of Odisha. “Please visit Sun Temple, where you can see a boat containing giraffe, which shows linkages with Africa,” said Swaraj.  

She told about the rich heritage of Odisha by giving example of Boitha Bandana Utsav, worshipping of the ships. The festival of Baliyatra on Karthik Purnima in November is a continuation of this tradition, she added.

Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik also said that Odisha or the ancient Kalinga has the rich maritime history by citing the examples of excavated materials ranging from Kushan coins, Roman pottery fragments and other historical things. “The Kalingan merchants exported high value items like diamond, precious stones and spices to Roman Empire, elephants to Ceylon and ivory, betel nuts, pepper, fine clothes and fabrics to China,” said Patnaik.

Petroleum Minister Dharmendra Pradhan said India would play a greater role for development of the region.

A postal stamp on ‘Indian Ocean and Rajendra Chola I’ commemorating the conference organised by the Institute of Social and Cultural Studies (ISCS) along with the Research and Information System for Developing Countries (RIS). Two books related to maritime history were  also released.

Among others, RN Ravi from Prime Minister’s Office, ISCS secretary Arindam Mukherjee, Chief Post Master General (Odisha) Tilak Dey, RIS director general Prof Sachin Chaturvedi were present.