Maritime Boundary line dispute between India and Sri Lanka Research Papers (original) (raw)

members of the organizing committee of the National Maritime Day celebrations, distinguished audience, young cadets who will be the torch bearers of the maritime industry, ladies and gentlemen: It is both a pleasure and honour to be here with you on this momentous occasion and take part in the celebrations to mark the 53 rd National Maritime Day and share some of my thoughts with you. While thanking the organisers for inviting me, first of all I would like to extend my felicitations and warm greetings to the sea farers, their families and all other stake holders in a maritime India on the occasion of the National Maritime Day. It is only due to the hard work and commitment of those involved in the Maritime Enterprise that rapid strides are being taken to build a prosperous maritime India. It is largely due to the sustained efforts of those in the industry that maritime trade and connectivity is being nurtured, sustained and promoted. I must say that the Prime Minister Narendra Modi has demonstrated his sublime understanding of the maritime power potential of India. He was quick to draw our attention to the Tiranga, the national flag of India which has an Ashoka Chakra that is blue in colour with twenty four spokesin the center. The deep blue coloured wheel indicates the centrality of the oceans to India's wellbeing and prosperity. While there are other rich meanings of the twenty four spokes, to make it contextual, we could look at it as a clarion call for a 24×7 commitment to promote the cause of a vibrant maritime India. India is the only country after which an ocean is named, the Indian Ocean. Geography has blessed India as the land mass juts in to the Indian Ocean bisecting it to the Arabian Sea on the west and the Bay of Bengal on the east. The long coast line of over 7500 kilometers, Island assets both on the east and west has conferred an abundant exclusive economic zone of 2.1 million square kilometers in which India has exclusive rights for harnessing both the living and non-living resources. This provides for both opportunities and challenges for deriving maximum benefits from ocean related activities and could be even compared to the mythological " Samudramanthan " that provided wealth and prosperity. In that context, the term blue economy has assumed enormous importance and great strides are expected to be taken to harness the oceans in responsible way without endangering the fragile marine environment. This includes shipping, fisheries, recreation, energy, off shore exploration etc., This well informed audience is aware of the blue economy initiatives of China in the form of Maritime Silk Route and the One Belt One Road which are both ambitious and imaginative. This will change the maritime contours of Asia, Africa and even Europe by expanding circles of connectivity and connecting new market destinations. With the growing economies of the developing countries of the region, there would be considerable addition to the maritime traffic and related port activities challenging the maritime environment. A major portion of the sea routes pass under the watchful eyes of India which is a net provider of security and stability in the Indian Ocean. India cannot afford to be left behind in its own back yard nor can it be seen as conceding strategic space to China which has progressed by leaps and bounds by proactive polices and economic investments far and wide. In this context, the initiatives of the present Government to reach out to the maritime neighbours is noteworthy. The 'neighbourhood