An Indo-Pacific region guided by territorial integrity is an article of faith for India: Foreign Secretary

New Delhi: An Indo-Pacific guided by norms and governed by rules, with freedom of navigation, open connectivity, and respect for the territorial integrity and sovereignty of all states, is an article of faith for India, emphasised Foreign Secretary Harsh Shringla as he launched maiden India-Japan-France trilateral here on Tuesday.

Outlining India’s Indo-Pacific vision Shringla said, “We have sought to strengthen security and freedom of navigation in the Indo-Pacific by becoming a net security provider – for instance in peacekeeping efforts or anti-piracy operations in the Gulf of Aden.”

On Wednesday the maiden India-Japan-Russia trilateral will be launched for coordination at the Russian Far Eastern region.

“Sharing what we can, in terms of equipment, training and exercises, we have built relationships with partner countries across the region. To cite some examples, we are active in networks such as the Quad, with India, the United States, Japan and Australia as participants, and the India-Japan-US, India-France-Australia and India-Indonesia-Australia trilateral arrangements offer cases in point,” the Foreign Secretary pointed out, adding, “It is therefore natural for India to be engaged in cooperation with the key actors in the region, notably France and Japan.”

With France, India has a highly developed maritime security partnership. India and Japan enjoy a relationship that is crucial to the Indo-Pacific architecture. India’s SAGAR vision for the Region and Japan’s concept of a Free and Open Indo-Pacific (FOIP), both are convergent in principles. “ India, France and Japan are leading stakeholders in the region and with other like-minded countries, it is upon us to ensure that the Indo-Pacific remains peaceful and open, taking into account needs and concerns of all its inhabitants,” according to the Foreign Secretary.

Shringla referring to India’s response to the current global uncertainty is reflected in the vision of ‘Atmanirbhar Bharat’ (or self-reliant India), articulated by Prime Minister Modi, which is a vision of “a self-reliant India which is also a reliable friend for the world”. It envisages making India an integral part of global supply chains as well as promotion of international trade and commerce. One specific example of cooperation in this area is working with Japan and Australian on a Supply Chains Resilience Initiative.

The Indo-Pacific has become an essential concept in International Relations today, in theory as well as in practice. “No foreign policy conversation is complete without a discussion on the Indo-Pacific. Literally, it signifies the seamless interface of the Indian and Pacific Oceans.

For India, it is that vast maritime space stretching from the western coast of North America to the eastern shores of Africa. Over 50% of global trade traverses this maritime domain. It is also home to over 64% of the world’s population and 62% of the global GDP. And so, the security, stability, peace and prosperity of this vast region is vital for the world,” Shringla pointed out.

“…India has not just mainstreamed the expression “Indo-Pacific”, but has also encouraged others to perceive and define the region in its full extent. That is why countries such as Germany and Netherlands, physically distant but economic stakeholders in the Indo-Pacific, have released strategies for the region. We are now informed that even the EU is working on it’s strategy for the Indo-Pacific, to be ready in time for the India-EU Leaders Summit in Portugal later this year.”

Japanese envoy to India Satoshi Suzuki in his remarks stated, “The Free and Open Indo-Pacific vision has been the core diplomatic concept that Japan stands on. And it remains so under the current PM Suga’s administration, as demonstrated by his first foreign visit destinations being Vietnam and Indonesia. Japan hosted the Quad Foreign Ministers’ Meeting right after the inauguration of the current administration despite the challenges related to the COVID-19 situation; this is another testament to our continued efforts. Let me assure you that Japan’s commitment to this vision remains unwavering.”

He added, “Cooperation with like-minded countries: India and France What I would like to emphasize here is that this vision of a free, open, and inclusive Indo-Pacific cannot be achieved by a single country alone. It requires collective efforts of likeminded countries like India and France. At the heart of this shared vision are universal values such as freedom, openness, and inclusiveness. And I believe this emphasis on fundamental values and principles is also the reason why this vision is getting tractions across the world.”

French envoy Emmanuel Lenain in his remarks said, “France is an Indo-Pacific power thanks to its territories in the Pacific Ocean and the Southern Indian Ocean, with its 1.6 million inhabitants and 8000 military personnel based in the region. As early as 2018, France published an Indo-Pacific strategy whose main objective was to promote a rules-based, multilateral regional order, free of any hegemony, in keeping with our values.

French President E. Macron elaborated our Indo-Pacific strategy in his speech in Garden Island, Australia, in 2018. Our strategy is cooperative, and we wish to work on key issues with our foremost Asian partners, India and Japan, as well as any other country willing to join us, like Australia.”

“We have seen a rapid change in the balance of power, including unilateral policies by some countries. The COVID-19 crisis has been a great accelerator of both opportunities and risks. All this creates uncertainties and triggers the risk of non-cooperative policies.In this context, India, Japan and France stand as factors of stability and progress. We share democratic values: rule of law, human dignity, freedom of speech. We are attached to international public law and multilateralism. In this regard, France supports India and Japan in their aspiration to become permanent members of the UN Security Council. Given these shared values and interests, the trust among the governments of India, Japan and France is unique,” he said adding, “We are building piece by piece a strategic triangle between Paris, Tokyo and Delhi committed to a rules-based Indo-Pacific order.”





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