Mumbai Hosts Sixth East Asia Summit on Maritime Security Cooperation

The Ministry of External Affairs, alongside Australian and Indonesian partners, held the sixth East Asia Summit (EAS) on Maritime Security Cooperation in Mumbai. The event emphasized strengthening the ASEAN-led EAS mechanism and explored issues like maritime domain awareness and anti-piracy measures, involving over sixty experts and officials from EAS countries.

The Ministry of External Affairs, in collaboration with the Australian and Indonesian governments, organized the sixth East Asia Summit (EAS) on Maritime Security Cooperation on July 4-5 in Mumbai. This significant event is part of India's effort to bolster the ASEAN-led EAS mechanism and advance the EAS Plan of Action 2024-2028.

According to a statement from the MEA, the Sixth East Asia Summit (EAS) Conference on Maritime Security Cooperation was held in Mumbai on July 4-5. The ASEAN-India Centre (AIC) at Research and Information System for Developing Countries (RIS) and the National Maritime Foundation (NMF) acted as knowledge partners for the conference.

Jaideep Mazumdar, Secretary (East) of the Ministry of External Affairs, delivered the keynote address, emphasizing the crucial need for dialogue and cooperation to foster peace, stability, and economic prosperity in the Indo-Pacific through maritime security cooperation. The event saw the participation of over sixty delegates, including government officials, think tank experts, and academics from EAS participating countries.

During the conference, participants discussed an array of issues pertaining to maritime security in six thematic sessions, aligning with the open, inclusive, transparent, and outward-looking nature of the EAS. The sessions covered topics such as the Indo-Pacific Oceans Initiative (IPOI), ASEAN Outlook on the Indo-Pacific (AOIP), Regional Maritime Domain Awareness, combating illicit maritime activities including piracy and illegal, unreported and unregulated (IUU) fishing, Maritime Connectivity, Humanitarian Assistance and Disaster Relief (HADR), and Search and Rescue (SAR).

(Disclaimer: With inputs from agencies.)