Maritime terrorism a global menace: Admiral Sunil Lanba

VEREM: Chief of naval staff, Admiral Sunil Lanba, on Tuesday said maritime terrorism was no longer just a national or regional concern, but a global

security

challenge that required unprecedented cooperation, cutting across barriers.



The naval chief, who was addressing the Goa Maritime Symposium being held at the Naval War College in Verem, said that along with conventional maritime threats, unconventional and non-traditional threats were also keeping “maritime forces constantly engaged”.

“We are witnessing an increase in the use of oceans around us for harbouring and promoting terror related activities,” Lanba said. “Maritime terrorism is today not just a national or even regional security menace. It is a global security challenge.”

The Indian Navy has accorded a high degree of priority to maritime engagement with countries in the India Ocean Region (IOR). The Goa Maritime Symposium is one such attempt to bring navies of neighbouring countries on a common platform. Eight countries of the Indian Ocean Region (IOR) Bangladesh, Indonesia, Kenya, Maldives, Mauritius, Myanmar, Sri Lanka and Thailand are participating in the symposium. China, however, remains excluded.

The growing presence of the Chinese People’s Liberation Army Navy in the Indian Ocean has aroused concerns in India, and the Indian Navy remains on constant alert to track the forays of Chinese warships and submarines. China is trying to flex its muscles as it looks to increase its influence in the Indian Ocean region.

“We are passing through a challenging period in global politics. This is because of the increasing flux and friction deeply seeded in competing, and sometimes, conflicting interests that are likely to have long-term geopolitical and geo-strategic impact,” Lanba said, without mentioning any country. He acknowledged that China remained a key player in the IOR and that India was working with China to keep navigational routes safe.

“We are working with all like-minded nations and we are in dialogue with China also. In the larger global commons, we all work together to keep the sea lines of communication open,” Lanba said.

The naval chief also stressed on the importance of maritime security planners to “contribute towards increasing the security quotient of our national as well as regional maritime environments”.