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External Affairs Minister (EAM) S Jaishankar has said India's commitment to the Indian Ocean Rim Association (IORA) is deeply rooted in the principles of peaceful coexistence, shared prosperity, and regional collaboration.
"For Member States to grow and prosper, development challenges must be continuously and effectively addressed. In particular, we should cooperate on various aspects of the maritime economy, resources, connectivity and security," the EAM said at the press conference of the 23rd IORA Council of Ministers Meeting in Sri Lanka. The Indian Ocean Rim Association (IORA) is an inter-governmental organisation aimed at strengthening regional cooperation and sustainable development within the Indian Ocean region through its 23 Member States and 11 Dialogue Partners, as per the IORA website. Jaishankar said: "We should be equally clear where the dangers are, be it in hidden agendas, in unviable projects or in unsustainable debt. Exchange of experiences, sharing of best practices, greater awareness and deeper collaboration are part of the solutions." The EAM highlighted that India through its G20 Presidency, will further empower IORA. "I particularly flag Nari Shakti or women-led development, the democratisation of technology through Digital Public Infrastructure, and Prime Minister Modi's vision of LiFE or "Lifestyle for Environment" in this regard. I would also stress the importance of the International Solar Alliance (ISA) and the Coalition for Disaster Resilient Infrastructure (CDRI) in addressing the challenges that IORA member-states face," he said. He said India views the IORA as a platform for promoting sustainable development, economic growth and prosperity, and stability in the region. "As the Vice-Chair of IORA, India will work on consolidating and streamlining efforts to promote cooperation in the realms of the six priority areas and two cross-cutting themes of the IORA, with particular emphasis on maritime safety and security, and blue economy. We seek to engage our fellow member states and partners to develop mutually beneficial initiatives." "As the Vice-Chair of IORA, the apex regional body of this Region, India will work towards further strengthening the regional identity and cooperation among IORA Member States, Dialogue Partners, and for the well-being and prosperity of the Indian Ocean community." Jaishankar on Tuesday landed in Colombo on a three-day visit. This is the external affairs minister's second visit to Sri Lanka this year. During the visit, Jaishankar will have bilateral meetings in Sri Lanka. (ANI)
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