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Hindustan Times
20-05-2025
- Politics
- Hindustan Times
Why maritime borders are critical in India's national security thinking
A recent exercise by the Indian government revealed a sharp increase in India's length of coastline, which now stands at 11098.81 km, up from the earlier estimate of 7561.50 km. This rise is a result of a change of scale and in methodology since the last calculation of India's coastline in 1970. The sharp rise in the length of India's coastline raises a vital question, emphasising the need for continued attention towards India's maritime borders in context of framing national security priorities. While India's national security thinking seems to be dominated by the threats stemming from its territorial borders, there is a need to prioritise its maritime boundaries. For this, it is essential to re-imagine India as a maritime nation. Towards this end, the revised length of India's coastline serves as a critical reminder of how the multiple frontiers of India's geography continue to remain interlinked. A long history of territorial aggression from Pakistan and China has been greatly instrumental in shaping India's security thinking. Apart from this, India's security apparatus has had to grapple with the lingering problem of cross-border terrorism. The challenge of cross-border terrorism has again returned to the fore following the recent attacks in Pahalgam. However, given the maritime character of India's geography, a number of critical maritime security concerns ought to figure prominently in informing its national security thinking. Past experiences have demonstrated the criticality of the maritime frontiers in India's national security preparedness. Arguably, the 2008 terrorist attacks in Mumbai have remained as a crucial reminder of how threats emerging from sea are deeply interlinked with territorial or homeland security. Additionally, a number of non-traditional security challenges pose grave risks for overall national security thinking. These include risks induced from worsening climate change resulting in rising sea levels, natural calamities such as cyclones, Illegal, Unreported and Unregulated (IUU) fishing, transnational blue crimes such as piracy, maritime terrorism, human and drug trafficking, as well as smuggling of illegal weapons into the country. Given these multifaceted challenges arising from the maritime frontiers, there is a critical need for India to strengthen its coastal security preparedness. A major fillip was accorded to India's coastal security after 2008, when the coastal security service – the Indian Coast Guard – was co-opted into the Indian Navy, aimed at enhancing synchronisation and synergy among the various arms of India's maritime services. While this served to enhance broader operational synergy, it also signals a critical effort to look at the multiple frontiers of India's geography in a continuum. Given that India's maritime and territorial homeland security are directly interlinked, the two frontiers must not be seen as divorced from one another. As such, the two complement each other and require a serious, systematic, and a synergised strategy. Arguably, the changing geopolitical order in the Indian Ocean has been a result of greater Chinese involvement in the region. China's growing political influence among the Indian Ocean littoral states has mounted a nuanced challenge for India. However, increasingly China has sought to send its research vessels into the Indian Ocean region, prompting increasing insecurity in India of potential growth of Chinese naval presence in the region. Furthermore, the worsening maritime environment in the Indian Ocean serves to provide additional impetus for India to rethink the priority accorded to its maritime borders. Interestingly, the revised length of India's coastline has also thrown up a critical reality of the diminished difference of India's territorial and maritime borders. According to estimates of home ministry, the length of India's territorial borders stands at approximately, 15106.7 km. While earlier estimates of India's maritime borders were almost half of its territorial borders, the revised length of 11098.81 km suggests that it is time to accord similar importance to its maritime frontier. As India navigates an increasingly complex security environment, the evolving realities of the multifaceted nature of security challenges must inform India's security thinking. Towards this end, India's security thinking ought to remain immune from falling into the trap of 'sea-blindness' in formulating its national security strategy. The revision of the length of India's coastline reveals the crucial reality of why maritime borders matter in its national security thinking. Sayantan Haldar is a Research Assistant, Maritime Studies at Observer Research Foundation. (Twitter/X: @sayantan_h) Get 360° coverage—from daily headlines to 100 year archives.
Zawya
21-03-2025
- Politics
- Zawya
Experts Adopt Roadmap and recommend that Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) maintain its Leadership in the Fight against Illegal, Unreported and Unregulated (IUU) Fishing
The fourth Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) Maritime Stakeholders Meeting on Illegal, Unreported and Unregulated (IUU) Fishing was held in Abidjan, Republic of Côte d'Ivoire, from 18 to 20 March 2025. The objective of the meeting was to develop a regional cooperation framework to combat IUU fishing and environmental issues in the ECOWAS maritime sector. Representatives of ECOWAS Member States and Commission, as well as representatives of regional organizations active in the maritime and fisheries sectors, took part in the meeting. Several recommendations emerged from the three-day meeting in Abidjan. Among other things, ECOWAS was asked to develop cooperation between technical directorates and marine research institutes to increase scientific and technological potential to improve data quality in West Africa. ECOWAS should also adopt a regional approach to negotiating fisheries agreements and implement the tripartite memorandum of understanding with the Fisheries Committee of the West Central Gulf of Guinea (FCPC) and the Sub-Regional Fisheries Commission (SRFC), which offers an opportunity to obtain an amendment covering security aspects. Member States are asked, among other things, to ensure inter-institutional coordination in the fight against IUU fishing, to designate a lead institution for the management of the blue economy and to pool their resources in the fight against IUU fishing. They are also recommended to improve and monitor licensing procedures, ensure effective monitoring and surveillance of their coasts, establish and evaluate an annual closed season for fishing and to guarantee alternative livelihoods for fishing communities affected by offshore oil exploration and exploitation. From the presentations made during this meeting, it emerged, among other things, that IUU fishing includes the violation of closed fishing areas; illegal or unauthorized transhipments; non-compliance with fishing gear, reporting, and bycatch requirements; illegal discards; and the capture of unauthorized/protected species. To address all these issues, the capacity of the competent national and regional authorities responsible for monitoring, control, and surveillance (MCS) should be strengthened to curb IUU fishing. Furthermore, the agreement that prevents the landing and sale of fish from illegal fishing must be implemented. It is also essential that Member States develop a common political will to improve the legal framework. Following the presentation sessions, working groups were formed to address the following thematic areas: governance, the mission of national/regional SCS centers, the information and data exchange mechanism, as well as financing and cooperation at regional and international levels and resource mobilization. The meeting concluded with a visit to the headquarters of the Regional Maritime Security Centre for West Africa (CRESMAO), where participants praised the efforts of the Government of Côte d'Ivoire, which hosted the Centre and provided local staff to support it. Also taking part in this regional meeting were representatives of the West African Regional Maritime Security Centre (CRESMAO), the Multinational Coordination Centres for Zones E, F and G, Maritime (CMCM), the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC), the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) and the Delegation of the European Union, the Fisheries Committee of the West Central Gulf of Guinea (CPCO), the Sub-Regional Fisheries Commission (CSRP), the Gulf of Guinea Interregional Network (GOGIN) and the Maritime Organization of West and Central Africa (OMAOC). Distributed by APO Group on behalf of Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS).
Zawya
19-03-2025
- Politics
- Zawya
Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) experts meet in Abidjan to propose a regional action plan against illegal, unreported and unregulated fishing in west Africa
' Illegal, unreported and unregulated (IUU) fishing remains widespread in our region, causing an estimated loss of more than $2 billion per year, which has a negative impact on the livelihoods and security of our countries.' This was the statement of Ambassador Abdel-Fatau MUSAH, ECOWAS Commissioner for Political Affairs, Peace and Security, at the opening of the technical meeting of Member States' Experts on the issue of Illegal, Unreported and Unregulated (IUU) fishing in West Africa, which began this Tuesday, March 18, 2025, in Abidjan, Republic of Côte d'Ivoire. The work of this meeting was officially launched by H.E. Mr. Sidi Tiémoko TOURE, Minister of Animal and Fisheries Resources of Côte d'Ivoire. Around fifty experts from ECOWAS Member States and the Commission, as well as regional organizations dealing with environmental protection and fisheries issues, will meet from March 18 to 21, 2025 in Abidjan, Republic of Côte d'Ivoire, to discuss the issue of illegal, unreported and unregulated fishing (IUU fishing) in West Africa. The work of this meeting follows a recommendation of the Authority of Heads of State and Government, which at its 65th Ordinary Session, held in Abuja in July 2024, instructed the ECOWAS Commission to put in place a strengthened framework for the fight against IUU fishing and to initiate discussions with external partners with a view to combating IUU fishing and the dumping of toxic materials associated with it in the regional maritime domain. The opening ceremony of this meeting was marked by three different speeches. Speaking on behalf of Mr. FOFANA Abroulaye, Permanent Secretary of State Action at Sea (SEPCIM), Colonel KOUADIO Aké José Nicole, Director of Administration and Legal Affairs, recalled that IUU fishing represents a serious threat to our maritime resources and undermines not only the integrity of our oceans but also the food security and livelihoods of millions of citizens in our region. After thanking the authorities of Côte d'Ivoire on behalf of H.E. Dr. Omar Alieu TOURAY, President of the ECOWAS Commission for their continued support to the programs implemented by ECOWAS, Ambassador Abdel-Fatau MUSAH recalled the importance of this meeting and maritime security for the growth of the sub-regional economy. 'The maritime sector is undoubtedly one of the driving forces of the economy of our region. It is therefore obvious that the implementation of structured investments and the development of a regional IUU code will guide our priority action plan. Threats related to IUU fishing, which constitute an obstacle to the ECOWAS regional integration agenda, peace and security, affect overall economic growth and development and compromise the livelihoods of coastal communities,' concluded the ECOWAS Commissioner for Political Affairs, Peace and Security. Officially opening the meeting, Minister Sidi Tiémoko TOURE stated that the maritime domain of ECOWAS member states, one of the most biodiverse maritime areas in the world, is an essential pillar for food security and the livelihoods of millions of people. However, according to the Ivorian Minister of Animal and Fisheries Resources, this wealth is seriously threatened by IUU fishing practices, which represent a multifaceted threat on the ecological, economic, and social levels. 'The organization of this workshop is a welcome initiative because it is important to establish a regional cooperation framework to improve the sustainable and integrated use of ocean resources in West Africa, by stimulating inclusive economic growth through a concerted and effective regional fight against IUU fishing, ' said the Minister. The meeting was attended by ECOWAS Departments and Technical Directorates, including Peacekeeping and Regional Security, Agriculture, Environment, as well as Regional Organizations such as the West African Economic and Monetary Union (UEMOA), the African Development Bank (ADB), the Fisheries Committee of the West Central Gulf of Guinea and the Fisheries Commissions of Senegal. During the 3 days of consultation, the participants will have to take stock of the fight against IUU fishing in each Member State in collaboration with the Sub-Regional Fisheries Commissions; and develop a roadmap to facilitate the harmonization of national fisheries laws, in particular the fight against illegal fishing which will take into account, among other things, the cooperation mechanism for sharing information, the framework for collaboration on the pooling of financial and human resources, ways to increase the financial resources allocated to the fight against illegal fishing, the establishment of a platform for sharing experiences and lessons learned to disseminate good practices in the region and the harmonization of the collection of statistics. Distributed by APO Group on behalf of Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS).
