Annual Report 2007 - Observer Research Foundation

International seminar on “Maritime Trade and Security; Striking the Right Balance”
was organised by ORF in association with the College of Naval Warfare (CNW)and
the National Maritime Foundation (NMF)in Mumbai on 12-13 January 2007.
Inaugurating the seminar, the Governor of Maharashtra, Mr. S.M. Krishna,
stressed the need for a right maritime policy which ensured the security of the nation,
safe and secure water and also increasing trade in view of the globalisation and
emerging economy.
To smoothen and speed up India’s progress towards the fourth biggest economy
of the world in the next two decades, maritime trade and security experts suggested
creation of a Central Maritime Council, Asian Regional Maritime Crime Court and a
comprehensive domestic legislation to ensure smooth, safe and secured trade through
Indian seas.
General (Retd.) V.P. Malik, former chief of the Indian army and now President of the Institute
of Security Studies, Observer Research Foundation, said there is a need for cooperation and coordination
between the various agencies involved in maritime domain and also between nations both
maritime and otherwise. General Malik noted that there is a direct and inseparable link between the
development of a nation and activities in the seas around it. Warning of the increasing gun-running
in the seas, which is becoming a threat to the security of the waters and also nations, General Malik
said more than 30 per cent of it is heading towards India. Warning also of the increasing drug trafficking
taking place in the seas around India between the
There is a need for Golden Triangle and the Golden Crescent, General
Malik said the concept of freedom of the seas needs
cooperation and
to be revisited.
Setting the tone of the two-day conference, Western
Naval Command chief, Vice Admiral Sangram
coordination between
the various agencies
Singh Byce, called for the creation of a central maritime
council to synergise actions of various agencies
involved in maritime involved in the maritime sector for ensuring a safe and
secure sea to strengthen the security of the country
domain and also
and to help smoothen and speed up trade through the
sea.
between nations
Taking the case of Mumbai, he said more than 16
both maritime and
agencies are now involved in the management of the
maritime domain. Cautioning that the threat of terrorist
attacks through seas have increased otherwise
manifold
EMAJOR
EVENTS
Annual Report 2007 ◆ Observer Research Foundation
29