Security in the strategically important Indian Ocean region is intertwined with that of the world and so all littoral states should pool their resources to further help protect the vital trade route, say Iranian officials.
“The geostrategic, geopolitical and geoeconomic features of the Indian Ocean have led to the region playing an influential role in international affairs,” Chairman of the General Staff of the Armed Forces Major General Mohammad Baqeri told the Indian Ocean Naval Symposium.
The three-day meeting opened in Tehran on Monday. Safeguarding the security of the Indian Ocean—the world’s third largest after the Pacific and the Atlantic — is the function of the countries located near the vast body of water, IRNA quoted him as saying. Military officials from 35 countries attended the first day of the meeting during which Iran took over the two-year chairmanship of the symposium, commonly known as IONS.
The forum is aimed at increasing maritime cooperation among the Indian Ocean littoral states. It helps promote peaceful relations between nations and is critical to building a strong maritime security architecture in the region.
The first IONS seminar was held by the Indian Navy in 2008. The voluntary initiative includes 23 nations that permanently hold territory that abuts or lies within the Indian Ocean, and nine observer nations, according to the forum’s website.
Security Threats
Addressing the sixth edition of the symposium, General Baqeri said threats to the smooth flow of trade, including piracy, should not be taken lightly. He argued that apart from cooperation on maritime security, the littoral states have to band together against other security challenges besetting the region, namely terrorism.
“Fighting against security threats, particularly terrorism, organized crime, smuggling and other ills, demand addressing their financial, political and social roots as well as collaboration between the countries’ military and security forces,” he said, adding that Iran is willing to share its experience in combating terrorism.
Western Naval Presence
Baqeri criticized the military presence of extraterritorial powers in the Indian Ocean, saying that their interference further hinders and does not help regional security.
“The United States and other powers contribute to chaos and anarchy by deploying their militaries to different parts of the globe — such as the Persian Gulf, the Indian Ocean, the South China Sea, the Mediterranean Sea and other regions under a variety of pretexts. They also resort to force, imposing sanctions and hurling accusations,” he said in an apparent reference to the US Fifth Fleet based in Bahrain.
The commander of the Fifth Fleet is responsible for an area encompassing the Persian Gulf, the Red Sea, the Gulf of Oman and parts of the Indian Ocean. It includes aircraft carriers, destroyers and other ships that rotationally deploy from the US, plus some smaller vessels based there for longer periods, according to Reuters. Washington also regularly carries out naval exercises in the region, moving aircraft carrier strike groups in and out of the area.
Joint Drills
On the sidelines of the conference, Baqeri told reporters that discussions are underway to organize joint naval exercises between the Indian Ocean littoral states to enhance their preparedness and operational capability to better protect crucial shipping lanes.
“We are pursuing the prospects of holding joint drills so that we can witness enhanced security in the Indian Ocean and nearby waters,” the military official said.
Common Interest
Navy Commander Rear Admiral Hossein Khanzadi told the gathering of naval commanders that foreign military presence in the Indian Ocean is not in the interest of the littoral states and does nothing to help bolster security.
“The security of international waterways should be protected by countries in each region because the presence of foreign powers imposes an arrangement on regions that hardly serves the collective interests of littoral states,” he said. He proposed closer cooperation in the framework of the symposium to counter common threats and help promote global peace and security.
Formation of a joint task force comprising IONS member states—which was proposed by the Iranian Navy years ago—should be followed up as it will help the group achieve its objectives, he said.
