7th Edition of Indo-Pacific Regional Dialogue highlights contemporary maritime challenges

Focusing on the theme of 'Promoting Holistic Maritime Security and Growth: Regional Capacity-Building and Capability-Enhancement', the IPRD 2025 is the seventh successive edition of the Indian Navy's apex-level international strategic outreach that brings together leaders, policymakers, practitioners, diplomats, the academia, and maritime experts from across the Indo-Pacific and beyond to address pressing issues in the vast expanse of the predominantly maritime Indo-Pacific.

The event began with an 'Inaugural Address' by Admiral Karambir Singh, former Chief of the Naval Staff, in which he noted the strategic turbulence in the maritime domain due to the effects of Great Power Competition, the rise of non-State actors, and an intensification of non-traditional security challenges. He advocated a cooperative maritime architecture to address these contemporaneous challenges.

This was followed by an engrossing session with five distinguished speakers - from Bangladesh, Japan, Indonesia, Singapore, and South Africa, who presented their perspectives on 'Cooperative Capacity-Building and Capability-Enhancement to Address the Security Impacts of Climate-Change'. What emerged from this session was the need for a joint impact assessment of climate-change and the formulation of a pan-regional action plan to mitigate its effects.

The first day's highlight was the 'Commemorative Address' by Admiral Dinesh K Tripathi, Chief of the Naval Staff, during which he emphasised the relevance of oceanic spaces, specifically the Indo-Pacific, for India's economic growth and security. Stressing that India's maritime policy of MAHASAGAR envisions prosperity and security for all in the region, CNS advocated collaboration and cooperation as the principal means to achieve this end-state. The CNS also released a book titled 'Future Maritime Warfare', authored by Captain KS Vikramaditya, Indian Navy, and published by the National Maritime Foundation (NMF).

A specially curated session, Chaupal ki Charcha, witnessed an engaging conversation between Vice Admiral Pradeep Chauhan, Director General, NMF, Philipp Ackermann, German Ambassador to India, Indra Mani Pandey, Secretary General, Bay of Bengal Initiative for Multi-Sectoral Technical and Economic Cooperation (BIMSTEC), Vice Admiral Anne Cullere of the French Navy, and Captain Geordie Klein, the Netherlands' Defence Attache in Delhi. This effervescent and immersive conversation addressed different perspectives that brought to the fore the need for a mutual and holistic approach enshrined in MAHASAGAR.

The first day's proceedings ended with a 'Special Address' by Christian Bueger from the University of Copenhagen. Bueger also released a special edition of the Maritime Affairs, the flagship journal of the National Maritime Foundation.

Bringing together a galaxy of apex-level leaders and renowned experts - including 40 distinguished speakers from 19 countries - the IPRD 2025 is being organised by the Indian Navy, in association with the National Maritime Foundation as its knowledge partner. (ANI)