Why in News?

• In his keynote address at the 4th edition of the Goa Maritime Conclave, the Defence Minister of India said ‘might is right’ has no place in a ‘free, open and rule-based’ maritime order.
• Stressing the need for establishing multi-national collaborative frameworks to effectively tackle common maritime challenges in the Indian Ocean Region (IOR), he said a free, open and rule-based maritime order is a priority for all of us. 

What’s in Today’s Article?

• What is the Goa Maritime Conclave (GMC)?
• Key highlights of the Defence Minister of India’s Speech
• Significance of the GMC 2023

What is the Goa Maritime Conclave (GMC)?

• The GMC is the Indian Navy's outreach Initiative providing a multinational platform to harness the collective wisdom of practitioners of maritime security and the academia towards garnering outcome-oriented maritime thought.
  • The previous editions of the biennial event were held in 2017, 2019, and 2021.
• The 4th edition of GMC is being held from 29-31 October by the Indian Navy under the aegis of Naval War College in Goa.
• At the GMC-23, Admiral R Hari Kumar (Chief of the Naval Staff) would be hosting chiefs of navies/ heads of maritime forces/ senior representatives from 12 Indian Ocean littorals.
  • This includes Bangladesh, Comoros, Indonesia, Madagascar, Malaysia, Mauritius, Myanmar, Seychelles, Singapore, Sri Lanka, and Thailand.
• The Defence Minister of India (Rajnath Singh) will be the Chief Guest and will deliver the keynote address.
• The theme for this year's edition of GMC - "Maritime Security in the Indian Ocean Region: Converting Common Maritime Priorities into Collaborative Mitigating Frameworks".
• The theme has been derived keeping in mind the necessity of synergising and collaborating efforts in the maritime domain towards achieving maritime security in the IOR.
• As part of the conclave, visiting delegates would get an opportunity to -
  • Witness India's Indigenous shipbuilding industry at the “Make in India” exhibition and
  • Witness the indigenous warships as well as the capabilities of the Deep Submergence Rescue Vessel (DSRV).

Key highlights of the Defence Minister of India’s Speech:

• Might is right has no place in a ‘free, open and rule-based’ maritime order.
• Adherence to international maritime laws, as enunciated in the UN Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS) 1982, must be our guide.
  • UNCLOS embodies in one instrument traditional rules for the uses of the oceans and at the same time introduces new legal concepts and regimes and addresses new concerns.
  • The Convention also provides the framework for further development of specific areas of the law of the sea.
• Narrow immediate interests may tempt us to flout or disregard the well-established international law, but doing so would lead to the breakdown of our civilised maritime relations.
• Our common security and prosperity cannot be preserved without all of us committing to cooperatively adhering to the legitimate maritime rules of engagement.
• Fair rules of engagement are crucial for fostering collaboration and ensuring that no single country dominates others in a hegemonic manner.
• Our problems are common. We call them problems without a passport - piracy, drug trafficking, terrorism, arms smuggling, and to tackle such problems, we need cooperation and collaboration.
• A multi-national collaborative effort is needed for compilation and sharing of surveillance data to tackle Illegal, Unreported and Unregulated (IUU) fishing.
  • It will help in identifying actors with irregular or threatening behaviour, which will have to be countered resolutely.
  • IUU fishing endangers ocean ecosystems and sustainable fisheries and also threatens our economic security and regional and global food security.

Significance of the GMC 2023:

• It comes amidst growing concerns about China expanding its footprint in the Indian Ocean Region in recent times.
• The aim of the forum is to find regional solutions to regional problems.
  • While there are larger constructs such as the Indian Ocean Naval Symposium (IONS), BIMSTEC, sometimes at larger constructs, it is difficult to reach a consensus.
  • When the numbers are smaller, it is easier to arrive at a workable solution in a smaller time frame.
• On climate change, the collaborative mitigation framework can involve the countries working together to reduce carbon emissions and transition to sustainable practices.