‘The several joint maritime exercises with have had with regional navies in South China Sea, East China Sea and the Western Pacific have brought benefits,’ Defence Minister A.K. Antony said while addressing a conference of Indian Navy commanders.
‘Although reaching out to our extended neighbourhood is important, you must always be mindful of the core area of your responsibility that mainly includes preserving and strengthening our shorelines and coastal security.’ he said.
Antony also pointed out that India had the ability to be a potent and stabilising force in the Indian Ocean region with major international shipping lanes passing closer to its island territories.
He noted that Indian Navy had been ‘mandated to be a net security provider to island nations in the Indian Ocean region,’ apart from assuring India’s maritime neighbours that the South Asian giant will provide ‘unstinted support for their security and economic prosperity’.
‘Most of the major international shipping lanes are located along our island territories. This bestows on us the ability to be a potent and stabilising force in the region,’ Antony said.
‘We assure our maritime neighbours of our unstinted support for their security and economic prosperity,’ he added.
On Coastal Security He said "
‘We have taken several measures to strengthen our coastal security. Our maritime forces are capable of protecting our maritime frontiers. However, this should not lead to a feeling of complacency.’
He went on to say that ‘isolated incidents, which though directly did not pose a challenge to maritime security, highlighted the need to further strengthen our coastlines and maritime security’.
He also emphasised the need to replicate coastal security exercises with all stakeholders ‘as frequently as possible’.
On other issues and challenges facing the navy, Antony said piracy was ‘a continuing cause’ of major concern, but noted that ‘the international community as a whole needs to do a lot more collectively’.
