Addressing the Indo-Pacific Regional Dialogue (IPRD) 2025, Vice Admiral G Ashok Kumar (Retd), formerly the National Maritime Security Coordinator, delivered a strong message on the necessity of multinational collaboration for maritime security. He advocated for strengthened regional capacity, improved operational readiness, integrated joint operations, and real-time intelligence sharing as crucial steps towards a secure maritime environment. A key focus was the protection of undersea cables from damage.
The Vice Admiral emphasized the profound economic reliance on the oceans, with approximately 80% of global trade traversing maritime routes, significantly contributing to national economies. He outlined the multifaceted blue economy, encompassing fisheries, offshore energy, seabed resources, and critically, the undersea cables that facilitate international communication. The dependence of coastal communities and national economic well-being, exemplified by India’s large fishing fleet, highlights the vital importance of secure sea lanes and maritime resources.
He detailed the evolving nature of maritime threats, which extend beyond historical challenges like piracy, smuggling, and illegal migration. Modern threats include sophisticated maritime terrorism and direct assaults on merchant shipping via missiles and drones, capable of striking vessels hundreds of miles offshore. The physical vulnerability of undersea cables, essential for global digital connectivity, was a major concern, with instances of accidental and intentional severing occurring regularly.
Providing a stark example, the Vice Admiral pointed to the Gulf of Aden, where accidental anchor deployment by merchant ships has caused over 60% of undersea cable interruptions. The risks are magnified in geographically constrained areas like the Bab-el-Mandeb strait, a critical chokepoint for East-West trade, due to its shallow depths.
Furthermore, the escalating frequency and intensity of cyclones present ongoing humanitarian assistance and disaster relief challenges across the region. These environmental factors, combined with persistent problems such as IUU fishing, demand a unified regional response. The inherently transnational character of maritime issues means that an incident in one locale can quickly ripple outwards, affecting multiple nations.
Admiral Kumar highlighted India’s establishment of a National Maritime Security Coordinator as a positive step towards unifying domestic maritime security efforts. His concluding remarks stressed that collective capacity building, shared intelligence, joint operational exercises, and robust protection of seabed infrastructure are the cornerstones of maritime security. He cautioned that without such collaboration, the very seas that drive global prosperity could become a significant point of weakness.