Manila, July 23: External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar on Thursday said attacks on merchant shipping and civilian infrastructure are unacceptable, stressing that international waterways must remain safe and free for global commerce.
He made the remarks while addressing the 33rd ASEAN Regional Forum (ARF) Ministerial Meeting in Manila, Philippines.
Jaishankar Calls for Safe Maritime Commerce
Jaishankar said the five pillars of the Manila Plan of Action align with India’s approach to the Indo-Pacific. He said India supports collaborative efforts in disaster relief through shared best practices, common standard operating procedures and joint exercises.
He also highlighted India’s humanitarian assistance, including the deployment of field hospitals, search and rescue teams, and relief supplies to countries affected by natural disasters such as Sri Lanka, the Philippines, Myanmar, Jamaica, Venezuela and Afghanistan.
The External Affairs Minister stressed that terrorism must be addressed with zero tolerance.
He said terrorist acts should have consequences and called for stronger efforts to curb terror financing. Jaishankar noted that India and Malaysia are co-chairing the ASEAN Defence Ministers’ Meeting Plus Experts’ Working Group on Counter Terrorism and are preparing a compendium of best practices.
On maritime security, he said India’s Information Fusion Centre, the Indo-Pacific Maritime Domain Awareness initiative and the deployment of Indian naval assets from the North Arabian Sea to the Western Pacific have contributed to tackling piracy, trafficking, narcotics trade and ensuring secure maritime commerce.
Jaishankar also called for vigilance against efforts that undermine global non-proliferation and disarmament frameworks. He advocated a responsible and human centric approach to artificial intelligence and deeper international cooperation against cybercrime.
Referring to the South China Sea, he reiterated India’s support for a substantive, effective and legally binding Code of Conduct in accordance with the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS) 1982, while protecting the legitimate rights of all users.
His remarks come amid continuing tensions in the South China Sea, where overlapping territorial claims have led to repeated confrontations involving several countries.
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