According to N. Ramachandran, a former chairman of the Cochin Port Authority, every littoral State in the Bay of Bengal has a fundamental interest in the security of the area as well as inefficient ocean governance. As a result, he said, they must cooperate, pool their resources, and work together to create a shared future based on the values of sustainability, inclusivity, and security for all.
On Tuesday, he gave the opening speech at a two-day international conference on “Security and Prosperity in the Bay of Bengal” that was hosted by the Friedrich Naumann Foundation (FNF) South Asia and the Centre for Public Policy Research (CPPR) and attended by diplomats from across the world.
The Bay of Bengal has evolved into a scene of intense economic and strategic rivalry over time. While the Bay region has consistently increased its economic and geopolitical significance, there has been a continuous increase in geopolitical competitions and power rivalries in the area. In terms of security, the area provides numerous multi-dimensional problems. According to Mr. Ramachandran, the conference provides an opportunity to engage in critical thinking and develop a greater comprehension of the issues, dangers, and opportunities that the Bay of Bengal affords.
Nitirooge Phoneprasert, the consul general of Thailand in Chennai, and Sujeet Kumar, a Rajya Sabha member, also took part in the event’s opening.
Foreign diplomats, government and military officials, security experts, and journalists from Germany, Thailand, Bhutan, Sri Lanka, India, Bangladesh, Nepal, and the Maldives are among those attending the two-day conference. While concentrating on the strategic importance of the Bay of Bengal, they will discuss important issues relating to unconventional security as well as other difficulties with regard to the economy, trade and investment, livelihoods, climate change, environment, marine governance, energy, human rights, and technology and innovation.
The book Maritime Security Complexes of the Indo-Pacific Region, written by Vijay Sakhuja and Prof. Lawrence S. Prabhakar and containing essays by renowned academics and thought leaders in the field of international relations, was also released at the event. It was a joint research publication by the Indian Council for World Affairs (ICWA) and CPPR.
