Page 4 - Indian Ocean

Voting begins in Maldives in a crucial election for President Muizzu

Maldivians voted in parliamentary elections on Sunday, in a ballot crucial for President Mohamed Muizzu, whose policies are keenly watched by India and China as they vie for influence in the archipelago nation. Both countries are seeking a foothold in the Maldives, which has a strategic location in the Indian Ocean. Muizzu's election as president last year sharpened the rivalry between India and China, with the new leader taking a pro-China stand and acting to remove Indian troops stationed on one of the country's islets. Securing a majority in Parliament will be tough for Muizzu because some of his allies have fallen out and more parties entered the race. Six political parties and independent groups are fielding 368 candidates for 93 seats in Parliament. That is six more seats than the previous Parliament following adjustments for population growth. About 284,000 people were eligible to vote and tentative results were expected to be announced late Sunday. Muizzu's election campa

Ships transiting the Gulf, Western Indian Ocean should stay alert: Ambrey

Ambrey said it had received information that indicated an "Israeli military strike" was conducted on Isfahan, Iran

Vice Admiral Dinesh Tripathi appointed as next chief of Indian Navy

Prior to taking over as Vice Chief of the Naval Staff, VAdm Dinesh K Tripathi served as the Flag Officer Commanding-in-Chief, Western Naval Command

India, US to reactivate Indian Ocean Observing System for weather forecasts

India and the US have decided to reactivate the Indian Ocean Observing System (IndOOS), a network of 36 moored buoys in the high seas to collect high-resolution ocean and atmospheric data for weather forecasts. The IndOOS array of buoys fell into neglect and disrepair during the years of the COVID-19 pandemic, leading to gaps in observational data considered crucial by weather forecasters, particularly since the links between the Indian Ocean Dipole phenomenon and monsoon were established. The reactivation of IndOOS was discussed last month during a meeting of Earth Sciences Secretary M Ravichandran with Rick Spinrad, Administrator of National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) of the US. The moored buoys are part of the Research Moored Array for African-Asian-Australian Monsoon Analysis and Prediction (RAMA) programme that was born out of a collaboration between the Ministry of Earth Sciences and NOAA in 2008. "We want to reactivate RAMA. I discussed it with the NOAA ch

Oz Navy delegation visits WNC; discuss interoperability, challenges

A Royal Australian Navy delegation visited the Indian Navy's Western Naval Command (WNC) and discussed matters of mutual interest and interoperability, which will further strengthen the bilateral ties between the two navies, an official release said. The five-member delegation was briefed on the activities of the Indian Navy's Western Fleet in the backdrop of the security situation in the Red Sea and the Gulf of Aden, it said. During its visit on Friday, the delegation also took a tour of an indigenously built destroyer and a submarine at Naval Dockyard, Mumbai. The delegation was briefed on the capabilities of Mazagon Dock Shipbuilders Limited when it visited the facility and was informed about its ongoing projects for the Indian Navy. A five-member delegation of the Royal Australian Navy (RAN), led by Vice Admiral Mark Hammond, AO, Chief of RAN, visited Headquarters, Western Naval Command, Mumbai on April 5. The delegation interacted with Vice Admiral Sanjay J Singh, Flag Office

Will take affirmative action to ensure safer Indian Ocean: Navy chief

Indian Navy will take "affirmative action" to ensure a safer and more secure Indian Ocean Region, its chief Admiral R Hari Kumar said on Saturday while citing the anti-piracy operations undertaken by the naval force in the last 100 days. In response to a query during a press conference at the newly-built Nausena Bhawan here, he said "no Indian-flagged vessel" has been targeted by the Houthis at sea. Earlier in the day, INS Kolkata, carrying 35 pirates who were apprehended in a recent operation off the coast of Somalia, reached Mumbai, the Navy said. These pirates were handed over to the Mumbai police for further legal action under Indian laws, specifically the Maritime Anti-Piracy Act, 2022. The Navy chief cited the dramatic mid-sea operation undertaken by the Navy along with the IAF that ended a three-month hijacking of a bulk carrier with the deployment of its warship INS Kolkata, long-endurance Sea Guardian drones, P-8I surveillance aircraft and airdropping of elite MARCOS ...

MV Ruen op: Indian Navy protected 3,440 ships, 25,000 seafarers in 16 years

Indian Navy has deployed over 10 warships to secure strategic waterways following increasing attacks on cargo vessels in the Red Sea

Sea water recedes more than usual in Alappuzha leaving seabed exposed

A stretch of the coast near Alappuzha witnessed an unusual phenomenon on Tuesday, where the sea receded from its usual shoreline, leaving a portion of the seabed exposed. The sea receded approximately 50 metres along a half-kilometre stretch from Purakkad to Ayyankovil near Ambalappuzha, raising concerns among the fishing community. The affected area, now filled with sludge, has hindered their ability to embark on fishing ventures. Local MLA H Salam, along with other public representatives, visited the site to assess the situation. Official sources said district revenue officials visited the area and attributed this occurrence to the "chakara," a distinctive marine phenomenon characterised by the congregation of numerous fish and prawns during specific seasons, often coinciding with mud bank formations.

Indian Navy intercepts Somali pirates on board ship hijacked 3 months ago

The Indian Navy has foiled an attempt by Somali pirates by intercepting their vessel in the high seas off the east coast of Somalia, officials said on Saturday. The pirates had sailed out on board a ship that was hijacked around three months ago, they said. "The ex-MV Ruen, which had been hijacked by Somali pirates on 14 December, was reported to have sailed out as a pirate ship towards conducting acts of piracy on high seas," the Navy said. The vessel was intercepted by an Indian Navy warship on March 15, it said. The Navy said the vessel opened fire on the warship, which took actions following international law in self defence and to counter piracy with minimal force necessary to neutralise the pirates' threat to shipping and seafarers. "The pirates onboard the vessel have been called upon to surrender and release the vessel and any civilians they may be holding against their will," the Navy said in a statement. "The Indian Navy remains committed to maritime security and safety

IOR poised to become economic hub in next 50-60 years: Wickremesinghe

The Indian Ocean region is experiencing tremendous growth and is poised to become a significant economic hub in the next 50 to 60 years, Sri Lankan President Ranil Wickremesinghe has said, calling for extensive trade and economic ties between the island nation and India. Addressing a gathering at the Sri Lanka-India Society in Colombo on Thursday to mark the 76th Independence Day of Sri Lanka and the 75th Republic Day of India, Wickremesinghe said that nations such as India, Indonesia, Iran and Saudi Arabia have a greater role to play in the Indian Ocean region and they have been rapidly advancing in various aspects. "The Indian Ocean region is experiencing significant growth, with countries like India, Indonesia, Iran, and Saudi Arabia rapidly advancing in various aspects. The Indian Ocean region is poised to become a significant economic hub in the next 50 to 60 years, especially as the African region undergoes development," he said. "It is imperative that we initiate this endeavo

Rajnath Singh to inaugurate new building of Naval War College, Goa on Mar 5

Defence Minister Rajnath Singh will inaugurate the new administrative and training building of Naval War College at INS Mandovi near Panaji on March 5, a Navy official said on Friday. Rear Admiral Arjun Dev Nair, Commandant of the Naval War College told reporters that the building will help the institute train officers from all three military services three times more than its current strength. "This modern edifice has been named as 'Chola' in commemoration of the mighty maritime empire of the Chola dynasty. Defence Minister Rajnath Singh will inaugurate the new building on March 5 and the ceremony will be attended by senior naval leadership in addition to ex-commandants of the Naval War College," he said. According to him, the College of Naval Warfare was established at INS Karanja in 1988 in Mumbai to impart advanced professional military education to the middle and senior level officers of the Indian Navy. The college was renamed as Naval War College in 2010 and was shifted to ..

India, Mauritius natural partners in dealing with challenges: PM Modi

India and Mauritius are natural partners in the maritime domain to deal with traditional and non-traditional challenges in the Indian Ocean region, Prime Minister Narendra Modi said on Thursday after virtually inaugurating a number of New Delhi-assisted development projects in the island nation. The prime minister also announced that Mauritius will be the first country to join India's Jan Aushadhi scheme, an initiative rolled out to provide quality medicines at affordable prices. At a virtual ceremony, Modi and his Mauritian prime minister counterpart Pravind Jugnauth inaugurated several community development projects at the Agalega Island in Mauritius that were implemented with India's financial assistance. The projects included an airstrip and a jetty. In his brief address at the event, Modi described Mauritius as an important partner under India's 'Neighbourhood First' policy, noting that the two countries achieved "new heights" in mutual cooperation in the last few years. He a

India, France working closely in Indian Ocean, says French Navy Chief

The two sides affirmed the significant progress in bilateral defence cooperation between the two nations

Rajnath Singh holds talks with Dutch defence minister Kajsa Ollongren

Defence Minister Rajnath Singh on Friday held talks with his Dutch counterpart Kajsa Ollongren with a focus on boosting industrial defence cooperation. In the meeting, Singh said Dutch original equipment manufacturers could be encouraged to integrate Indian vendors into their supply chains. "Both ministers discussed the possibilities for expanding their bilateral defence cooperation, particularly in maritime and industrial domains," the defence ministry said. "They noted the increased interaction between the two navies and expressed keenness to work together to enhance maritime security in the Indian Ocean Region," it said in a statement. It said Singh suggested that Dutch original equipment manufacturers could be encouraged to integrate Indian vendors into their supply chains. "India has developed a vibrant innovation and industrial ecosystem. Given the Indian and Dutch complementarities in skills, technology and scale, both sides were in agreement to encourage more interactions

Maldives visit of Chinese ship could rouse Indian Ocean security concerns

China's foreign ministry has said research by the vessel was "exclusively" for peaceful purposes to benefit scientific understanding

Red Sea crisis: Implications of Houthi attacks on global trade, security

The Red Sea falls in an important transit route from Mediterranean Sea to Arabian Sea through Suez Canal

India is our biggest, most-valued partner in South Asia: US official

Describing India as its biggest partner in South Asia, the Biden administration has said it is working with New Delhi to deploy a multi-billion-dollar climate infrastructure and a new fund that will include a USD 500 million investment contribution from its development finance institution. Afreen Akhter, Deputy Assistant Secretary in the Bureau of South and Central Asian Affairs (SCA), told this at a news conference organised by the Washington Foreign Press Center. With India, which of course is our biggest partner in South Asia, we launched in January of last year the US-India Initiative on Critical and Emerging Technology. We call this iCET, Akhter said. The goal is to build a resilient semiconductor supply chain, elevate space cooperation, and partner on the next generation of telecommunications so, again, a really ambitious initiative to build cooperation on critical and emerging technologies with India, she said on Wednesday. The US is also advancing regional resilience to ..

EAM Jaishankar bats for deeper ties among Indian Ocean region nations

External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar on Friday called for shoring up engagement among countries of Indian Ocean region to confront challenges like safeguarding sovereignty, dealing with cases of disregard to maritime laws and flouting of long-standing pacts, in remarks seen as an oblique reference to China's military assertiveness including along the Line of Actual Control. In an address at the seventh Indian Ocean Conference in Perth, he also flagged concerns over unsustainable debt, opaque lending practices, unviable projects and "injudicious" choices, in thinly-veiled comments that came amid concerns over many countries falling into the Chinese 'debt trap'. Jaishankar also said the Quad supports a larger architecture in "this part" of the world and those who mischievously suggest that the four-nation coalition questions the centrality of the ASEAN are "playing their own". "As we gaze at the Indian Ocean, the challenges besetting the world are on full display there. At one ...

EAM Jaishankar to address inaugural session of 7th Indian Ocean Conference

According to Ministry of External Affairs press release, "The theme of this edition of the conference is Towards a Stable and Sustainable Indian Ocean."

Jaishankar to attend two-day summit of 7th Indian Ocean Conference in Perth

"The theme of this edition of the conference is Towards a Stable and Sustainable Indian Ocean," the External Affairs Ministry said in a statement