It is an area where much of the economic and strategic dynamics of the 21st century will be played out.
The Indian Ocean is a region of growing strategic significance.
The nations of this region are home to 2.6 billion people, almost 40 per cent of the world's population, accounting for 10 per cent of global GDP — and rising rapidly. Its sea lines of communication are among the world's most important — 40 per cent of global trade passes through the Indian Ocean, including 70 per cent of the total traffic of petroleum products.
South Asia is witnessing extraordinary growth, led by the rising great power that is India. As energy security becomes a preoccupation for an ever increasing number of countries, the influence of Gulf States is growing. East Africa's economic significance is also expanding. And the nations of South East Asia, led by Indonesia, are on a strong growth path.
Australia understands all this implicitly. Our engagement with countries to our west is firmly on the upswing. We are as much an Indian Ocean nation as we are a Pacific Ocean nation. Australia has the largest maritime jurisdiction of any Indian Ocean country and the longest Indian Ocean coastline.
As a measure of the importance we attach to the vast and diverse region to our west, Australia recently convened the Commonwealth Heads of Government meeting in Perth, our national gateway to the Indian Ocean, and to the opportunities — and challenges — that it contains.
Building on this, Australia is now determined to work with other Indian Ocean countries to harness a sense of community in this region by intensifying practical engagement aimed at enhancing our prosperity and security.
IOR-ARC meeting today
It is with this objective in mind that I am participating in the Council of Ministers of the Indian Ocean Rim Association of Regional Countries (IOR-ARC) in Bengaluru on November 15.
IOR-ARC is the only Indian Ocean organisation meeting at ministerial level with membership ranging across the entire Indian Ocean region. It has a wide mandate to promote cooperation within this highly diverse region. And has the potential to make a difference.
Thus far, however, IOR-ARC has not lived up to this potential. Some critics argue that the countries around the Indian Ocean are too distant from each other, too diverse in their economic and social make-up and too disparate in their stages of economic development to work effectively together. I do not agree. I see no cause for resignation or defeatism — quite the opposite.
Australia wants to work with other members to make a difference in IOR-ARC. We think we can best do that by suggesting practical, specific ways in which members can work more closely together. We want to build and nurture the habit of joint work in the service of common purpose.
The challenge for us in Bengaluru will be to identify concrete steps towards more effective practical cooperation in areas such as: sustainable fisheries management; science cooperation on climate change, food security and ocean science; disaster management; maritime safety and security; trade facilitation; and resources and energy security. We will also need to be alert to challenges that pose risks for our economic development — most pressingly, piracy.
We are not seeking a big bang in Bangalore, but we do need to commit to revitalise IOR-ARC, to give it a fresh sense of purpose. Over the next two years, Australia will serve as Vice Chair, supporting the leadership of India as Chair. In the two years after that, we will be in the Chair, and will ourselves be relying on Indian advice and guidance through the IOR-ARC troika of immediately past, present and future chairs.
The Indian Ocean is a region where much of the economic and strategic dynamics of the twenty-first century will be played out. To keep the region peaceful and to make it more prosperous, we need an organisation that is focused, practical and alive to the possibilities of our diverse region.
We need IOR-ARC to step up to this challenge. Australia is ready to help it do this, and we will be looking for partners from every corner of this region to meet this challenge.
(Kevin Rudd is the Australian Minister for Foreign Affairs.)
'Australia wants to work with other members' translates to 'Australia
wants to boss other members and tell them what to do'. It can't be
taken seriously until it gets over its racist stand points (Who has
forgotten white Australia?) and improves the treatment of immigrants
and asylum seekers and really 'co-operates' instead of bossing.
Australia is backed by US and the rest of the west, didn't even like
to be associated with Asia (This, we are also an Indian ocean country
is new, it used to be just the pacific), would accept dictatorial
China but turn its nose up on India... well.. it has a long way to go
to gain any trust in the Indian ocean region.
An age old suggestion has remained only on paper. There is a definite requirement to form an Indian Ocean Treaty comprising all the littorals of this vital geo strategic waterway. The IOT will work out a system under which the huge ocean wealth can be exploited in an organised manner by its members, prevent trespassing in the waterway, stop gunboat diplomacy, eliminate piracy, and carry out periodic naval exercises. The HQ of the IOT can be in Colombo with a number of sector HQ at say Mumbai, Singapore, and selected locations of the East Asian Community. This treaty will cover the area from the eastern seaboard of Africa to the China-Australia coastline.
A Great opportunity ahead for India,world's second largest emerging
economy,to lead Asian region to further development and
prosperity.Regional Co-operation,integration are the key component to
fillip economic growth.Asia is gradually emerging as a giant power in
world affairs.So it is no exaggeration that very soon it would take
over as world's most vibrating and growing region in terms of economic
boost as well as political influence.The matter of grave concern is
maritime security and piracy threats,which need an effective and
enthusiastic approach to flourish our trade activities in region.
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