India, Lanka agree on need to neutralize maritime threats posed by non-state actors

An Indo-Lanka expert panel recently acknowledged the urgent need to combat the growing threat posed by the LTTE. The panel recognized that the maritime domain constitutes an important medium for mutually beneficial collaboration between the two neighbouring countries.

The panel identified the practical measures that may be taken, especially with regard to combating maritime threats posed by non-state actors, for the joint management of the environment including in the region of the Sethusamudram Ship Channel Project, and for the exchange of scientific and other data pertaining to living and non-living marine resources. The possibility of establishing a Joint Fisheries Commission to commercially exploit in a sustainable and mutually beneficial manner the maritime fisheries resources of the two countries was also mooted.

The National Maritime Foundation in its capacity as host of the seminar titled "India-Sri Lanka Maritime Cooperation: Opportunities and Challenges"

The Sri Lankan Navy made a series of successful detections in the Gulf of Mannar this year, off Jaffna and the East. President Mahinda Rajapakse during a recent visit to New Delhi urged the government to neutralise LTTE operations in Indian waters.

The meeting covered a wide range of subjects, including the security dimension, the potential for collaboration for the sustainable exploitation of living and non-living marine resources, and the cooperation required for the protection and preservation of the maritime environment. A range of senior Indian and Sri Lankan personalities from the governmental and the non-governmental sectors and academic participated.

The Inaugural Address was delivered by Mr. Shyam Saran, former Foreign Secretary of India, while Keynote Addresses were delivered by Admiral Sureesh Mehta, Chief of Naval Staff of the Indian navy and by Mr. Romesh Jayasinghe, High Commissioner of Sri Lanka in India. The Concluding Address was by Mr. K. C. Pant, former Defence Minister of India.

For the Sri Lanka side, Dr. Champa Amarasiri, Director-General of NARA presented a paper on the theme of "Marine Resource Exploitation: Building Partnerships".

The Head of the Industrial Technology Institute, Dr. A. M. Mubarak, submitted a paper on "Environmental Challenges", while Rear Admiral T. S. G. Samarasinghe of the Sri Lanka. Navy in his paper dealt with the subject of "Sustainable Cooperative Security: Challenges and Options". Dr. John Gooneratne’s paper dealt with "Sri Lankan Prognosis and Outlook".

From the Indian side, three papers were presented, namely on "Offshore Oil & Gas: Exploring Joint Development" by Mr. I. L. Budhiraja, "Indian Prognosis and Outlook" by Prof. V. Suryanarayan and "India’s Security Concerns and Response" by Vice Admiral P. S. Das.