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Observer
21-05-2025
- Politics
- Observer
Oman committed to global maritime security
NEW YORK: The Sultanate of Oman has affirmed its decades-long active role in supporting the security and safety of regional and international maritime navigation, recognising the vital importance of these waterways to global trade and energy movement, as well as the legal, security and humanitarian responsibilities they entail. This came in a speech delivered by Ambassador Omar bin Said al Kathiri, Oman's Permanent Representative to the United Nations (UN), during the high-level session of the UN Security Council on 'Enhancing Maritime Navigation Security through International Cooperation for Global Stability,' held in New York. In his address, the ambassador emphasised that Oman has worked to align its national legislation with relevant international legal frameworks, foremost the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS), which is based on the principle of freedom of navigation, safeguards the responsibilities of coastal and transit states and establishes the legal foundations for resolving maritime disputes. He noted that Oman recently hosted the eighth Indian Ocean Conference, which focused on enhancing cooperation and integration in maritime security management, reflecting the importance of joint regional action. He stressed that Oman firmly believes the security of seas and waterways is a fundamental pillar for maintaining regional and international stability, ensuring freedom of navigation, sustaining global trade, safeguarding food and energy security, and promoting sustainable development. Oman's Permanent Representative to the UN highlighted that escalating transnational threats - such as maritime terrorism, piracy, human and drug trafficking, organised crime, and illicit trade - alongside environmental repercussions from climate change and attacks on maritime infrastructure, necessitate well-considered collective responses that reflect the spirit of cooperation and shared responsibility enshrined in the UN Charter. He also addressed Oman's pivotal mediation role in reaching the ceasefire agreement announced on May 6, 2025, to ensure freedom of navigation in the Red Sea and the Bab el-Mandeb Strait. This constructive step demonstrates Oman's commitment to easing regional tensions, enhancing maritime stability, and securing the smooth flow of international shipping. He reiterated Oman's emphasis on strengthening adherence to international law, particularly UNCLOS, as the comprehensive legal framework for all maritime activities, while stressing the full implementation of relevant Security Council resolutions and cooperation with the International Maritime Organization (IMO) and other specialised bodies. He pointed to the need for capacity-building in developing nations, particularly in maritime surveillance, information-sharing, emergency response, infrastructure protection and combating organised crime through well-planned collective initiatives and effective partnerships. Al Kathiri stated that modern technology is a crucial tool for enhancing maritime domain awareness and improving states' ability to respond promptly to challenges, utilising satellites, data analysis and artificial intelligence. He underscored the importance of addressing the worsening impacts of climate change and environmental degradation, which compound maritime security risks and called on the international community to develop integrated strategies for protecting the marine environment. He also emphasised the value of constructive dialogue and preventive diplomacy in achieving collective security, resolving disputes, building trust among nations and fostering a safe, stable environment for maritime, commercial and economic activities. Concluding his speech, the ambassador affirmed that Oman - guided by its foreign policy principles of good neighbourliness, non-interference, and respect for international law - will remain a responsible partner in enhancing maritime navigation security, ensuring stability in international waterways and supporting multilateral efforts to develop effective, comprehensive solutions to challenges facing seas and oceans. This commitment upholds international peace and security and serves the interests of all nations. — ONA
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Business Standard
21-05-2025
- Politics
- Business Standard
At UN, India stresses maritime, anti-terror strategy for national security
India told the UN Security Council that it views maritime security and countering terrorism as central to its national security and economic interests as it continues to evolve its strategy in response to new threats and geopolitical shifts in the Indo-Pacific region. India, having a long coastline, extensive seafarer community, and capable maritime forces, is actively pursuing its role as a responsible maritime power to safeguard its interests and address emerging threats, India's Permanent Representative to the UN Ambassador Parvathaneni Harish said Tuesday. He was addressing the UNSC high-level open debate on Maintenance of international peace and security: Strengthening Maritime Security through International Cooperation for Global Stability' presided over by Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis under Greece's Presidency of the Council for the month of May. "India views maritime security and countering terrorism as central to its national security and economic interests. Its approach balances robust defence capabilities, regional diplomacy, international cooperation and domestic infrastructure development. It continues to evolve its strategy in response to new threats and geopolitical shifts in the Indo-Pacific region, Harish said. India underlined that maritime security is a cornerstone of economic growth as critical trade routes, energy supplies, and geopolitical interests are tied to the oceans. Harish said that India's maritime security strategy is broad and multifaceted, addressing both traditional threats from state actors and non-traditional threats from piracy, contraband smuggling, illegal human migration, unreported and unregulated fishing, maritime incidents, hybrid threats and maritime terrorism. He further said that India is committed to promoting a free, open and rules-based maritime order in accordance with the principles of the UN Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS). Furthering this objective, India is undertaking capacity-building efforts to tackle contemporary security challenges and strengthen maritime combat, strategy, and governance, he said. UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres, addressing the high-level debate, said the discussion underscores that the basic condition to preserve maritime security is the respect by all countries of the UN Charter and international law as reflected in UNCLOS. Guterres said that over the years, the Security Council has sought to address a range of threats that undermine maritime security and global peace - from piracy, armed robbery, trafficking and organised crime to destructive acts against shipping, offshore installations and critical infrastructure and terrorism in the maritime domain. These, he said, pose significant threats to international security, global trade and economic stability. Voicing concern that no region is spared, Guterres said the problem is getting worse. He said that after a modest global decrease in reported piracy and armed robbery incidents in 2024, the first quarter of 2025 saw a sharp upward reversal. According to the International Maritime Organisation, reported incidents rose by nearly half, 47.5 per cent, compared to the same period in 2024. Guterres noted that incidents in Asia nearly doubled, especially in the Straits of Malacca and Singapore. In the Red Sea and Gulf of Aden, attacks by the Houthis on commercial vessels have disrupted global trade and increased tensions in an already volatile region. The Gulf of Aden and the Mediterranean Sea remain treacherously active routes for migrant smuggling and the trafficking of weapons and human beings. Heroin from Afghanistan continues to reach East Africa through the Indian Ocean. Cocaine moves through the coasts of the Western Hemisphere and across the Atlantic Ocean to West Africa and European ports. Cyber-attacks are a fast-emerging security threat for ports and shipping companies. Facing these and other threats, the world's maritime routes and the people depending on them are sending a clear SOS, Guterres said. Harish told the Council that over the last year, in response to shipping attacks and rising incidents of piracy in the Western Arabian Sea, the Indian Navy deployed more than 35 ships in the region, carried out more than 1,000 boarding operations and has responded to over 30 incidents. The credible and swift actions of the Indian Navy saved more than 520 lives, irrespective of the nationality of the crew, he said. The Indian Navy safely escorted over 312 merchant vessels, carrying over 11.9 million metric tonnes of cargo, valued at more than 5.3 billion dollars, he said, adding that India also actively engages in SAR (Search and Rescue) and Humanitarian Assistance and Disaster Relief (HADR), especially in the Indian Ocean Region. Harish recalled that the importance of maritime security was highlighted by Prime Minister Narendra Modi at the first ever open debate on the topic held during India's Presidency of the Security Council in August 2021. He reiterated the five basic principles that indicate the holistic manner of India's approach to maritime security - removal of barriers from legitimate maritime trade; peaceful settlement of disputes as per international law; jointly addressing natural disasters and maritime threats created by non-state actors; preservation of the marine environment and resources and encouragement of responsible maritime connectivity. India believes that States should resolve disputes in the maritime security domain through peaceful means, including by adhering to pronouncements of international institutions that are established by a rules-based framework, Harish said, adding that inclusiveness and cooperation are key principles of India's maritime approach. (Only the headline and picture of this report may have been reworked by the Business Standard staff; the rest of the content is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)
Time of India
21-05-2025
- Politics
- Time of India
At UN, India calls maritime, anti-terror strategy vital to national security amid Indo-Pacific shifts
India told the UN Security Council that it views maritime security and countering terrorism as central to its national security and economic interests as it continues to evolve its strategy in response to new threats and geopolitical shifts in the Indo-Pacific region. "India, having a long coastline, extensive seafarer community, and capable maritime forces, is actively pursuing its role as a responsible maritime power to safeguard its interests and address emerging threats," India's Permanent Representative to the UN Ambassador Parvathaneni Harish said Tuesday. He was addressing the UNSC high-level open debate on 'Maintenance of international peace and security: Strengthening Maritime Security through International Cooperation for Global Stability' presided over by Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis under Greece's Presidency of the Council for the month of May. Play Video Pause Skip Backward Skip Forward Unmute Current Time 0:00 / Duration 0:00 Loaded : 0% 0:00 Stream Type LIVE Seek to live, currently behind live LIVE Remaining Time - 0:00 1x Playback Rate Chapters Chapters Descriptions descriptions off , selected Captions captions settings , opens captions settings dialog captions off , selected Audio Track default , selected Picture-in-Picture Fullscreen This is a modal window. Beginning of dialog window. Escape will cancel and close the window. Text Color White Black Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Opacity Opaque Semi-Transparent Text Background Color Black White Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Opacity Opaque Semi-Transparent Transparent Caption Area Background Color Black White Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Opacity Transparent Semi-Transparent Opaque Font Size 50% 75% 100% 125% 150% 175% 200% 300% 400% Text Edge Style None Raised Depressed Uniform Drop shadow Font Family Proportional Sans-Serif Monospace Sans-Serif Proportional Serif Monospace Serif Casual Script Small Caps Reset restore all settings to the default values Done Close Modal Dialog End of dialog window. "India views maritime security and countering terrorism as central to its national security and economic interests. Its approach balances robust defence capabilities, regional diplomacy, international cooperation and domestic infrastructure development. It continues to evolve its strategy in response to new threats and geopolitical shifts in the Indo-Pacific region," Harish said. India underlined that maritime security is a cornerstone of economic growth as critical trade routes, energy supplies, and geopolitical interests are tied to the oceans. Live Events Harish said that India's maritime security strategy is broad and multifaceted, addressing both traditional threats from state actors and non-traditional threats from piracy, contraband smuggling, illegal human migration, unreported and unregulated fishing, maritime incidents, hybrid threats and maritime terrorism. He further said that India is committed to promoting a free, open and rules-based maritime order in accordance with the principles of the UN Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS). Furthering this objective, India is undertaking capacity-building efforts to tackle contemporary security challenges and strengthen maritime combat, strategy, and governance, he said. UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres, addressing the high-level debate, said the discussion underscores that the basic condition to preserve maritime security is the respect by all countries of the UN Charter and international law as reflected in UNCLOS. Guterres said that over the years, the Security Council has sought to address a range of threats that undermine maritime security and global peace - from piracy, armed robbery, trafficking and organised crime to destructive acts against shipping, offshore installations and critical infrastructure and terrorism in the maritime domain. These, he said, pose significant threats to international security, global trade and economic stability. Voicing concern that no region is spared, Guterres said the problem is getting worse. He said that after a modest global decrease in reported piracy and armed robbery incidents in 2024, the first quarter of 2025 saw a sharp upward reversal. According to the International Maritime Organisation, reported incidents rose by nearly half, 47.5 per cent, compared to the same period in 2024. Guterres noted that incidents in Asia nearly doubled, especially in the Straits of Malacca and Singapore. In the Red Sea and Gulf of Aden, attacks by the Houthis on commercial vessels have disrupted global trade and increased tensions in an already volatile region. The Gulf of Aden and the Mediterranean Sea "remain treacherously active routes" for migrant smuggling and the trafficking of weapons and human beings. Heroin from Afghanistan continues to reach East Africa through the Indian Ocean. Cocaine moves through the coasts of the Western Hemisphere and across the Atlantic Ocean to West Africa and European ports. "Cyber-attacks are a fast-emerging security threat for ports and shipping companies. Facing these and other threats, the world's maritime routes and the people depending on them are sending a clear SOS," Guterres said. Harish told the Council that over the last year, in response to shipping attacks and rising incidents of piracy in the Western Arabian Sea, the Indian Navy deployed more than 35 ships in the region, carried out more than 1,000 boarding operations and has responded to over 30 incidents. The credible and swift actions of the Indian Navy saved more than 520 lives, irrespective of the nationality of the crew, he said. The Indian Navy safely escorted over 312 merchant vessels, carrying over 11.9 million metric tonnes of cargo, valued at more than 5.3 billion dollars, he said, adding that India also actively engages in SAR (Search and Rescue) and Humanitarian Assistance and Disaster Relief (HADR), especially in the Indian Ocean Region. Harish recalled that the importance of maritime security was highlighted by Prime Minister Narendra Modi at the first ever open debate on the topic held during India's Presidency of the Security Council in August 2021. He reiterated the five basic principles that indicate the holistic manner of India's approach to maritime security - removal of barriers from legitimate maritime trade; peaceful settlement of disputes as per international law; jointly addressing natural disasters and maritime threats created by non-state actors; preservation of the marine environment and resources and encouragement of responsible maritime connectivity. India believes that States should resolve disputes in the maritime security domain through peaceful means, including by adhering to pronouncements of international institutions that are established by a rules-based framework, Harish said, adding that inclusiveness and cooperation are key principles of India's maritime approach.
