New Delhi (TIP): India has called for a stronger international framework to keep vital maritime routes open during crises, warning that disruption at a single sea chokepoint can trigger wider shocks to global trade, energy and food supplies.
Addressing a UN Security Council Arria-formula meeting on ‘Safe Seas, Shared Security: Protecting Freedom of Navigation in an Evolving Security Environment’ in New York, India’s Permanent Representative to the UN, Ambassador Harish Parvathaneni, said recent disruptions to major maritime routes had underscored the importance of maritime security to international peace, security and global prosperity.
“Commercial vessels must not become targets of geopolitical tensions,” Parvathaneni said, asserting that freedom of navigation and overflight must be respected in accordance with international law, including the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea.
India said navigational rights must not be subjected to coercion, threats, unlawful restrictions or arbitrary interference. It also called for coordinated arrangements to facilitate the continued movement of essential commercial and humanitarian supplies during crises.
The Indian intervention highlighted the wider economic fallout from maritime insecurity. Disruption at one chokepoint can put pressure on alternative routes, raise freight and insurance costs and disrupt energy and food supplies, with developing countries particularly vulnerable to such shocks.
Against this backdrop, India highlighted its sustained maritime security operations in the Indo-Pacific and the Gulf of Aden-Red Sea region.
As of September 14, Indian maritime security operations in the Gulf of Aden and Red Sea had ensured the safe transit of 449 merchant vessels carrying nearly 20.3 million metric tonnes of cargo and oil, valued at $8.4 billion, according to the Indian statement.
Following the deterioration of the security situation in West Asia, the Indian Navy launched Operation Urja Suraksha. By March 13, 11 Indian Navy units had been deployed in the western Arabian Sea for the protection of trade.
India also sought greater international recognition for its Information Fusion Centre-Indian Ocean Region (IFC-IOR), describing it as a useful platform for strengthening maritime domain awareness.
New Delhi said the IFC-IOR had been included as a reporting centre in the International Maritime Organisation’s Best Management Practices Maritime Security framework. It also sought the support of the states concerned for the proposed addition of IFC-IOR to IMO Maritime Safety Committee Resolution 324(89), saying this would further enhance global maritime security.
The safety of seafarers was another key focus of India’s intervention. Parvathaneni said their evacuation, medical assistance, crew changes and repatriation in conflict zones required effective contingency planning and greater international cooperation.
“Seafarers must remain at the centre of our collective efforts,” he said, urging countries with significant interests in shipping and seafarer safety to work together on contingency planning.
India also flagged emerging threats, including attacks involving unmanned systems, cyber risks and interference with navigation and communications.
International cooperation, capacity-building and responsible use of technology would be critical to addressing these challenges, it said.
India said the international response should go beyond restoring navigation after a crisis and instead focus on building a maritime system capable of withstanding shocks before they cascade into wider economic and humanitarian crises.
India, Parvathaneni said, remained ready to work with UN member states to strengthen maritime security, protect seafarers, uphold navigational freedoms and ensure resilient and uninterrupted international commerce.
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