Indian Prime Minister (PM) Narendra Modi chaired a United Nations Security Council (UNSC) discussion on “Enhancing Maritime Security–A Case for International Cooperation” on Monday, a week into India’s month-long presidency of the Council.
The UNSC unanimously adopted the ‘Presidential [India’s] Statement’ that acknowledged threats to maritime security and underscored the importance of the 2000 United Nations Convention against Transnational Organised Crime. It was the Council’s first statement on maritime security. The discussion is also significant as Modi is the first Indian PM to chair a meeting on maritime cooperation. The meeting was attended by several other leaders, including Russian President Vladimir Putin and United States (US) Secretary of State Antony Blinken.
In his address, PM Modi urged the UNSC members to adopt a “framework of mutual understanding and cooperation” and highlighted five principles of maritime security, including trade disputes, natural disasters, environment, and connectivity. He said that “joint efforts” will be required to work on these issues.
To begin with, the Indian PM underscored the importance of removing barriers to maritime trade, which he said is critical for “global prosperity.” In this regard, he applauded India’s “SAGAR” Security and Growth for All in the Region principle. Additionally, he called on all the members to work towards the resolution of maritime disputes. He cited the example of India and Bangladesh’s dispute to highlight the importance of resolving the conflicts in accordance with international law.
Subsequently, Modi spoke of the need to cooperate in combating the rising threat posed by natural disasters. Celebrating India’s efforts on this front, he said, “We are enhancing the common maritime domain awareness of the region through our White Shipping Information Fusion Centre. We have provided support for hydrographic surveying and training of maritime security personnel to several countries.”
On preserving the marine environment, he said the oceans play a critical role in protecting the climate. Therefore, it was necessary to keep the marine ecosystem “free of pollutants like plastic waste and oil spills,” along with “over-fishing and marine poaching.”
Lastly, talking about the importance of maritime connectivity, he said that global norms and standards should guide this principle to ensure that infrastructural development is achieved sustainably and does not exclude any country.
Highlighting the importance of cooperating on these fronts, he said, “The sea is our shared heritage. Our sea routes are the lifeline of international trade.” Modi also condemned the use of sea routes for piracy and terrorism and regretted the rise in maritime disputes between countries.
Apart from Modi, several other leaders addressed the discussions. In his talk, President Putin recommended establishing a body within the Council to address maritime crimes. In addition, he vowed to work towards the security of the Persian Gulf and the Atlantic Ocean, which have seen a surge in piracy and terrorism. He said, “Unfortunately, there are also many threats along sea routes. And that is why it is so important that today we are considering substantive, practical issues related to the fight against piracy of the 21st century, meaning to establish a more effective counteraction to transnational crime and prevent the use of seas and oceans for criminal purposes.”
Furthermore, British Defence Secretary Ben Wallace welcomed the initiative, calling it a “long-overdue debate.” He also highlighted the importance of upholding the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea, which must form the “foundation of ocean governance.”
Wallace also celebrated the role played by the United Kingdom (UK) in protecting maritime security by combating threats including “piracy, smuggling, [and] illegal fishing.” Additionally, he said that the British government was preparing a “new National Strategy for Maritime Security, to articulate in one place the United Kingdom’s full range of objectives and interventions in the maritime domain up until 2025.”
The British Secretary also raised concerns about certain countries seeking to “destabilise and threaten” the “precious freedoms” in the maritime domain. In this regard, he cited the attack on the Liberia-flagged ‘Merchant Vessel Mercer Street,’ allegedly by Iran. He condemned the “deliberate, unlawful and targeted attack” that violated international law.
To deter such incidents, Wallace urged the members to unite on three fronts. First, he said that “hostile state activity and unacceptable behaviour at sea” must be called out by members. Secondly, he said that the countries must promote the “rights and freedoms enshrined by the UN Convention on the Law of the Sea” and ensure compliance by all. Lastly, he said that the “commitment on maritime issues must go beyond traditional security.”
Furthermore, US Secretary of State Blinken highlighted the importance of an “unimpeded flow of lawful maritime commerce” for “the security and prosperity of nations and to global stability.” However, he said that despite a mutually agreed upon international framework, “the order is under serious threat.” Consequently, he celebrated India’s leadership in “defending and strengthening the maritime rules and principles.”
In addition, Blinken noted specific threats to maritime security and international order. Hinting at China, he said, “In the South China Sea, we have seen dangerous encounters between vessels at sea and provocative actions to advance unlawful maritime claims.” He added, “The United States has made clear its concerns regarding actions that intimidate and bully other states from lawfully accessing their maritime resources.”
Blinken also addressed questions about the US’ interests in the region, which has been China’s key point of defence on criticisms about its activities in the South China Sea. He said, “It is the business and, even more, the responsibility of every member-state to defend the rules that we’ve all agreed to follow and peacefully resolve maritime disputes. Conflict in the South China Sea or any ocean would have serious global consequences for security and commerce.”
In response, China’s Deputy Permanent Representative, Dai Bing, who was the last to address the meet, said that the Council was “not the right place” to host discussions on the South China Sea issue. He said that currently, “with the joint efforts of China and ASEAN countries, the situation in the South China Sea remains generally stable. All countries enjoy the freedom of navigation and overflight in accordance with international law.” He also criticised the US and indirectly the Quad for “pursuing an exclusive regional strategy in the Asia Pacific region in an attempt to create intensified maritime conflict.”
The UNSC meeting comes at a critical time when maritime disputes in the Indo-Pacific, South China Sea, Persian Gulf, and the Black Sea are increasing. Like the Mercer Street attack, several incidents have resulted in growing concern about maritime security and commitment to international law.