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The fourth edition of Indo-Pacific Regional Dialogue (IPRD), an apex-level international annual conference of the Indian Navy, and the principal manifestation of the Navy's engagement at the strategic level is scheduled to take place from November 23-25 in New Delhi.
The theme of IPRD-2022 is 'Operationalising the Indo-Pacific Oceans Initiative (IPOI)', which was articulated by Prime Minister, Narendra Modi in Bangkok, at the 14th East Asia Summit (EAS) on 04 November 2019, the official statement of the Ministry of Defence said. It is focused on seven interconnected spokes or pillars: Maritime Security, Maritime Ecology, Maritime Resources, Disaster Risk-reduction and Management, Trade-Connectivity and Maritime Transport, Capacity-building and Resource sharing, and Science, Technology and Academic Cooperation. The six sessions of the IPRD-2022 are: Weaving the Fabric of Holistic Maritime Security in the Indo-Pacific: Multilateral Options, Constructing Holistic-Security Bridges across the Western and Eastern Maritime Expanse of the Indo-Pacific, Building maritime Connectivity: Ports, Trade, and Transport, Capacity-building and Capability Enhancement Leveraging the Physical and Social Sciences, Practical approaches to a Regional Blue Economy, Disaster Risk-reduction and Management, Solutions for Small Island Developing States (SIDS) and Vulnerable Littoral States, according to the Ministry of Defence. The National Maritime Foundation (NMF) is the Navy's knowledge partner and chief organizer of each event edition. The first two editions of IPRD were held in 2018 and 2019 respectively in New Delhi, however, IPRD 2020 was cancelled due to Covid-19. The third edition of IPRD was born in 2021 in online mode. The aim of each successive edition of the IPRD is to review both opportunities and challenges that arise within the Indo-Pacific. Through this annual dialogue, the Indian Navy and the NMF, continue to provide a platform for incisive discussions pertaining to the geopolitical developments affecting the maritime domain of the Indo-Pacific. IPRD-2022 will be conducted in physical format in New Delhi, through six professional sessions spread over the three-day period. As part of the event, globally renowned speakers and eminent panellists will explore how the areas of maritime cooperation envisaged in the IPOI could be optimally and inclusively operationalized. In addition, there will be an Inaugural Session and a Margdarshan (Guidance) session which would include addresses from Defence Minister Rajnath Singh, Minister of Environment, Bhupendra Yadav, the press release read. (ANI)
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