More flexible security dimension within Quad framework may be explored: Parliamentary panel
(You can now subscribe to our
(You can now subscribe to our Economic Times WhatsApp channel
Underlining the complex geopolitical dynamics in the Indo-Pacific, a parliamentary panel has recommended that a "more flexible security dimension" within the Quad framework may be explored by including initiatives like conducting joint maritime exercises in the Indian Ocean, aimed at improving coordination and better preparedness for emerging security challenges.The Parliamentary Standing Committee on External Affairs has also "strongly recommended" creation of a comprehensive inter-ministerial task force, involving ministries of defence, external affairs and commerce and other key ministries, which will facilitate rapid and efficient execution of the country's strategic priorities in the Indian Ocean.The panel's over 130-page report on 'Evaluation of India's Indian Ocean Strategy' was presented in Parliament on Monday.India, the US, Australia and Japan came together over 20 years ago to extend assistance in response to the 2004 Indian Ocean earthquake and tsunami. The coalition is now known as Quad.In December 2024, the foreign ministers of the member nations of the grouping had said in a joint statement, "As four partners, we share a vision of a free and open Indo-Pacific that is peaceful, stable and prosperous, underpinned by effective regional institutions."The parliamentary committee, headed by Congress MP Shashi Tharoor , in its report said it understands India's "cautious approach towards a security-centric Quad" due to its policy of multi-alignment."However, given the complex geopolitical dynamics in the Indo-Pacific, the Committee recommend that a more flexible security dimension within the Quad framework may be explored by including initiatives such as conducting joint maritime exercises in the Indian Ocean, aimed at improving coordination, enhancing maritime domain awareness (MDA), and better preparedness for emerging security challenges," it said."Proactive steps taken to deepen the Quad's security cooperation, without compromising its multi-alignment approach, focused on non-confrontational exercises and capacity-building initiatives, could significantly enhance regional stability and strengthen India's role as a responsible maritime power in the IOR," the report said.According to the panel, India should also "deepen its strategic alliances" with regional powers and global partners, particularly through forums such as the Quad, to ensure collective security and strengthen deterrence.The committee further recommended that India should frame a "comprehensive and dynamic strategic engagement plan" for all 35 littoral states of the Indian Ocean Region (IOR), grounded in shared common interests.The panel said it acknowledges the paramount strategic, economic, and environmental significance of the IOR for India. With a coastline of over 7,500 km, coupled with its vast Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ) of 2.4 million sq km, India is uniquely positioned at the heart of one of the most vital regions in the world."Given this geo-strategic importance, the Committee are of the considered view that India's leadership role in the Indian Ocean Region (IOR) is both a natural and necessary extension of its geopolitical and economic interests and thereby, it should take a leading role in ensuring the security, stability, and prosperity of the region," it said.In its report, the panel said the IOR is "vital to China for its great power ambitions"."Its search for energy, mineral resources and its compulsion to look for newer market for finished goods has led China to increase its engagement with IOR littorals. Therefore, consistent presence of People's Liberation Army (Navy) i.e. PLA (N) in the IOR, is a strategic imperative for China," it said.In a written submission, the defence ministry has told the panel that two Carrier Battle Groups of PLA (N) are operational and a third and much more potent aircraft carrier Fujian, is at an "advanced stage of pre-commissioning trials".Dedicated efforts are being made in deep sea exploration for mining rare earth minerals towards niche technologies, and in 2024, 20 Chinese research vessels operated in the IOR for a duration of 862 days, which has been the highest number of days since 2020, the report said.In response to the committee's query about India's assessment of the strategic implications of China's Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) and the String of Pearls strategy in the IOR, the defence ministry said China has maintained presence since 2008 in IOR, "under pretext of anti-piracy operations"."China is increasingly trying to gain foothold in the region to pursue its vested interests and gain strategic leverage over the resources. Overall, these actions would be detrimental to India's economic growth which is linked to the seas," it flagged.The panel further recommended that India should adopt a multifaceted and comprehensive approach to securing and stabilising the Indian Ocean.The panel also noted that India's strategy for the IOR is anchored in two complementary frameworks -- SAGAR (Security and Growth for All) and MAHASAGAR (Mutual and Holistic Advancement for Security and Growth Across Regions."To ensure greater alignment, precision of objectives, and a more coherent strategy, the Committee recommend that the Ministry of External Affairs should undertake a comprehensive review of both these frameworks and inform the Committee about the outcome of its assessment within three months," it said.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Time of India
2 hours ago
- Time of India
Tell us about documents considered in 2003 Bihar electoral roll revision: SC to ECI
Live Events (You can now subscribe to our (You can now subscribe to our Economic Times WhatsApp channel The Supreme Court on Thursday asked the Election Commission of India (ECI) to inform about the documents considered during the 2003 intensive electoral roll revision in Bihar.A bench of Justices Surya Kant and Joymalya Bagchi, which resumed the hearing on a pleas challenging the June 24 ECI decision to conduct the special intensive revision (SIR) in the state said, "We would like ECI to state what documents were taken in 2003 exercise".The remarks came after advocate Nizam Pasha, appearing for one of the parties, said referred to the court reportedly saying "if the date of January 1, 2003 (the date of earlier SIR) goes then everything goes"."I must submit that nothing was there to show why this date is there... The impression sought to be conveyed is that it is the earlier date when the intensive exercise for revision of the electoral roll was held. It is stated that the EPIC (voter) card issued then is more reliable than issued during summary exercises conducted from time to time, is incorrect," Pasha asked if the process of enrolling under intensive and summary revisions was the same then how could EPIC cards issued under summary exercises be lawyer, therefore, said the date of 2003 was invalid and not based on "intelligible differentia" (basis of distinguishing the two situations)."No receipt of my enumeration form is being given or any documents acknowledging the receipt is given and therefore the booth level officers have an upper hand and these lower level officers have too much discretion on whether the form has to be taken or not," he advocate Shoeb Alam, appearing for another petitioner, pointed out insufficient reasons in the ECI notification saying the process invented was neither "summary" nor "intensive" but just a creation of the notification."This is a process of voter registration and cannot be a process of disqualification. This is a process to welcome and not turn this into a process to unwelcome," he top court on August 13 observed electoral rolls cannot remain "static" and there is bound to be a revision, the top court said the expanded list of acceptable documents of identity from seven to 11 for Bihar's Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of voters' list was in fact "voter-friendly and not exclusionary."As the row over the SIR escalated, the bench said the EC had the residual power to conduct such an exercise as it deemed bench also disagreed with a submission by a petitioner that the SIR of electoral rolls in poll-bound Bihar had no basis in law and ought to be of opposition parties including the Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) and the Congress and the NGO Association of Democratic Reforms (ADR) have challenged the electoral roll revision drive in Bihar.
Time of India
3 hours ago
- Time of India
Why is Trump unhappy with India? Former diplomat reveals three reasons, and it's not related to tariffs or Russia
Three reasons behind tariff move Operation Sindoor and the ceasefire claim Trade pressure and the Russia angle Live Events Trump-Putin Alaska meeting (You can now subscribe to our (You can now subscribe to our Economic Times WhatsApp channel US President Donald Trump 's decision to impose 50% tariffs on Indian goods stems from three factors, according to former diplomat Vikas Swarup. In an interview with ANI, Swarup said Trump is dissatisfied with India over its BRICS membership, lack of acknowledgment of his claimed role in the Operation Sindoor ceasefire with Pakistan, and India's refusal to yield to US trade who has served as India's High Commissioner to Canada, said the US is using pressure tactics in trade negotiations to seek greater access to India's agriculture and dairy sectors. 'We have to understand why these tariffs have been imposed. I personally feel that there are three reasons. One, Trump is not happy with India because we are a member of BRICS and somehow, in his head, he has got this notion that BRICS is an anti-America alliance which is hell-bent on creating an alternative currency to the dollar. So, because of that, he feels that India should not be a member of the BRICS. Two, Operation Sindoor and his so-called role in bringing about the ceasefire,' he to the military action in May in response to the Pahalgam terror attack, Swarup said India had carried out precision strikes on terror infrastructure in Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Jammu and Kashmir, repelled Pakistani aggression, and targeted airbases.'We have been saying right from the beginning that Trump had no role because we do not accept external mediation. This ceasefire was mediated directly between the DGMOs of Pakistan and India at the request of the DGMO of Pakistan. Trump has now said almost 30 times that it was he who got the two countries to stop back from the brink, who stopped a nuclear conflagration in the subcontinent. So, obviously he is miffed that India has not acknowledged his role, whereas Pakistan has not only acknowledged his role but has even nominated him for a Nobel Peace Prize,' Swarup the Bilateral Trade Agreement (BTA) talks, Swarup said the tariffs are also part of Washington's strategy to push India to accept US demands. '…This is part of his pressure tactics to get India to sign on the dotted line on the maximalist demands that the US is making with regard to access to our dairy and agriculture and GM Crops. We have not caved in and it is also in a way a signal to Russia because he is also frustrated that he has not been able to get President Putin to agree to the ceasefire that Zelenskyy has agreed to,' he noted that Trump and Putin are scheduled to meet in Alaska on August 15 over the Ukraine conflict. 'Now they are meeting in Alaska on 15th August. If there is a positive outcome of the Alaska talks then I am 100% sure that the Russia sanctions will be off the table because Putin is not going to accept a ceasefire and yet be saddled with economic sanctions,' he and the US began BTA talks in March 2025 with a target to conclude the first phase by late 2025. On April 2, Trump signed an executive order for reciprocal tariffs, initially imposing 10-50% rates on several trade partners. The tariffs were held in abeyance for 90 days with a 10% baseline, but in July he raised them by 25% and in early August added another 25%, citing India's purchase of Russian oil. Commerce and Industry Minister Piyush Goyal told Parliament during the Monsoon session that the government is assessing the tariff impact and will take all necessary measures to safeguard national interests.
Time of India
3 hours ago
- Time of India
Roblox under fire for 'not doing enough to protect kids' as Congressman Ro Khanna launches petition
Live Events — RealSchlep (@RealSchlep) (You can now subscribe to our (You can now subscribe to our Economic Times WhatsApp channel Congressman Ro Khanna, who represents California's 17th Congressional District and serves on committees including Oversight and Accountability, has launched an online petition against Roblox , a popular gaming platform for kids, to implement stronger safeguards for children on its platform, accusing the company of 'not doing enough to protect kids'.'Khanna, whose district includes Roblox's headquarters in San Mateo County, cited concerns over inappropriate content, online predators, and insufficient a YouTuber with more than 7,50,000 subscribers, has recently drawn attention for his self-described mission to expose alleged predators on Roblox, claiming his work has resulted in six arrests. However, Roblox banned his account and issued a cease-and-desist order, alleging he broke platform rules by staging simulated child-endangerment chats and disclosing private user countered that he repeatedly sent Roblox's safety team evidence of predatory behavior but received little to no meaningful action in return, accusing the company of failing to protect its young users despite his attempts to assist in removing dangerous individuals from the says Congressman Khanna has reached out to him and is pressing Roblox to be more transparent about its child safety measures. In a video the YouTuber posted on X, Khanna announced he has launched a petition to do more to protect children, provide more support to parents, and strengthen law enforcement protocols that help bring predators to justice."There is a growing issue in our country with Roblox, an online gaming platform, and the abuse of children. Roblox is simply not doing enough to protect our kids, inform parents, and go after child predators," Khanna said in the urged the public to sign a petition demanding Roblox 'do more' to protect children, setting a goal of 1 million signatures by Friday, August 15. "We need to keep our kids safe online," he involvement has heightened pressure on Roblox, signaling the platform could face stricter regulations or legal action. With over 380 million monthly active users - most of them children and teens- Roblox has already been targeted by multiple negligence to recent cases include a 13-year-old Iowa girl allegedly abducted after being groomed on the platform, an 11-year-old Florida girl raped by a predator she met there, and a 13-year-old California boy coerced into sending explicit lawsuits argue that Roblox's chat features and virtual currency, Robux, create opportunities for predators to exploit young users.
