Australian Foreign Minister Penny Wong issued a stark warning to Southeast Asian leaders this week: the region could face a "devastating" conflict over the South China Sea unless it strengthens its diplomatic and legal safeguards. Wong said the region was already experiencing "destabilising, provocative and coercive actions", in addition to "unsafe conduct" in the air and sea. These were not-quite-so-veiled references to China's recent actions in the South China Sea. Other countries in the region - especially Vietnam and the Philippines - share similar concerns about China's maritime assertions. They question, for instance, what Beijing's rejection of the 2016 South China Sea tribunal ruling might mean for upholding international maritime laws and keeping crucial sea trade routes open. This week, Manila again called out China's "dangerous manoeuvres" in the South China Sea. President Ferdinand Marcos junior vowed not to yield an "inch" to China in the contested waters. Australia and the Philippines recently signed an agreement to deepen maritime co-operation. This may lead to more joint defence exercises and patrols in the South China Sea. But not all regional leaders agree about the potential threat. Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim issued a warning of his own at the ASEAN-Australia Special Summit this week over the West's "China phobia". If the US and Australia have problems with China, he said, "they should not impose it" on Southeast Asia. There is no doubt the great power competition between the US and China sets the strategic backdrop for Australia's engagement with Southeast Asia. But while maritime co-operation is increasing among regional states, this doesn't mean they all agree on the central issues that affect the stability, safety and security of the region's waters, specifically the South China Sea. Southeast Asian countries have diverse interests, political systems and strategic priorities. And leaders in the region - like those of many other smaller and middle powers around the world - regularly say they do not want to have choose between the US and China. Not all countries are "hedging" to the same degree, but Australia should nevertheless focus its engagement on building genuine partnerships with Southeast Asian countries in their own right - not merely based on perceived external threats - and identifying and addressing shared issues of concern. At this week's ASEAN-Australia summit, for instance, Southeast Asian nations drove the idea of a dedicated maritime forum. While the forum did address security challenges such as "grey zone" activities, plenty of other challenges and opportunities were discussed. These included: the importance of the "blue economy" concept, focused on the sustainable use of maritime resources for development and prosperity improving maritime connectivity by ensuring free and open sea lanes of communication bolstering law enforcement and governance to ensure maritime order across the region better addressing environmental and climate change issues. There was also a strong focus on understanding the local issues facing coastal and Indigenous communities in the region. An estimated 70% of Southeast Asia's population lives by the coast, where they face increasing livability challenges due to climate change, economic uncertainty and the degradation of fishing stocks and natural resources. This is not entirely new: ASEAN countries and Australia have been paying closer attention to shared maritime challenges beyond the sovereignty and maritime disputes in the South China Sea. For example, ASEAN recently released its maritime outlook. In particular, it noted the importance of the region for "global trade, food and energy security and marine biodiversity". It is no surprise maritime security has reached this level of importance on a shared diplomatic agenda. While the concerns over China's activities are real, it's important Australia and its neighbours to the north focus more attention on the vast range of other ocean-based issues that don't get as much attention. These priorities include: protecting open ocean supply chains reducing pollution, in particular plastics, and preventing coral bleaching supporting sustainable, legal and regulated fishing mitigating human, arms and drug trafficking addressing the very real challenges that climate change and rising sea levels present to maritime Asia. These challenges are often less politically sensitive than strategic concerns, which enhances the prospects of co-operation. This is where science, research and development, knowledge sharing and expert networks can contribute to solving knotty problems. And many of these challenges are transnational, meaning they do not affect one state unilaterally, but often require collective responses. The challenges are significant. So, too, are the opportunities for collaboration. Getting maritime co-operation right can support the human rights and livelihoods of millions of people across the region.

Bangladesh Meteorological Department said, the maritime ports of Chattogram, Cox’s Bazar, Mongla and Payra have been advised to hoist local cautionary signal number 3 as the cyclonic storm ‘Hamoon’ weakened into a deep depression. All fishing boats and trawlers and Launch service on all routes has resumed from the morning on Wednesday (October 25),  Bangladesh Inland Water Transport Authority (BIWTA) Chairman Commodore Arif Ahmed Mostafa confirmed the information. However, the cyclonic storm ‘Hamoon’ over northeast Bay and adjoining area moved northwestward and crossed the coast at 1 am today, weakening into a land deep depression near Satkania in Chattogram, said a latest bulletin of the Met office.

Maritime ports of Payra and Chattogram to keep hoisted Danger Signal Number Seven, Six for Cox's Bazar and Five for Mongla as the severe cyclonic storm "Hamoon" will be turned into a very severe cyclonic storm. Bangladesh Meteorological Department said it in a bulletin. It may cross Barishal-Chattogram coast near Meghna estuary by late night to morning on Wednesday as cyclonic storm while it is likely to move north-northeastwards as the met office said in its bulletin.

Maritime ports have been advised to be hoisted signal number three as the depression over West central Bay and adjoining area intensified into deep depression. Chattogram, Cox's Bazar, Mongla and Payra are included to this signal. According to a Met office bulletin, "Chattogram, Cox's bazar, Mongla and Payra maritime ports are advised to hoist local cautionary signal number three as the depression over west central Bay and adjoining area intensified into a deep depression and now lies over the same area." All fishing boats and trawlers over North Bay and deep sea have been advised to remain close to the coast, so that they can take shelter within very short notice.

Terming the launch of Chandrayaan 3, a major achievement of Indian scientists, Prime Minister Narendra Modi said that India and France have had an old and deep cooperation in the arena of Space, while highlighting that both countries have potential for further cooperation, particularly in areas such as Space-based Maritime Domain Awareness. Prime Minister Narendra Modi made these remarks while addressing a joint press conference with French President Emmanuel Macron at Elysee Palace on Friday, the concluding day of PM Modi’s France visit. Chandrayaan-3 was launched on GSLV Mark 3 (LVM 3) heavy-lift launch vehicle successfully from the Satish Dhawan Space Centre in Andhra Pradesh’s Sriharikota as per the scheduled launch time. Elated over the launch, PM Modi said, “Today, on the successful launch of Chandrayaan 3, the entire India is excited. This is a major achievement of our scientists.” PM Narendra Modi also said that the two countries “can enhance our cooperation in areas like Space-based Maritime Domain Awareness.” “In the arena of Space, India and France have had an old and deep cooperation. There have been new agreements between our Space agencies…We can enhance our cooperation in areas like Space-based Maritime Domain Awareness,” PM Modi added. In the joint press meeting, PM Modi also noted the deep and old ties that India shares with France. India and France have a rich history of cooperation in the field of space for over 50 years with Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) and the French Space Agency (CNES) carrying on various joint research programmes and launch of satellites. “There have been new agreements between our Space agencies. This includes satellite launch services, TRISHNA satellite to monitor sea and land temperature and atmosphere,” said PM Modi. As per a joint statement, issued in 2018 during the visit of President Macron to India, ISRO and CNES will realise their third joint satellite mission – TRISHNA which is meant for eco-system stress and water use monitoring as also accommodation of a French instrument of India’s OCEANSAT – 3 satellite. “I welcome the long-term agreement between Indian Oil and France’s Total company to export Liquefied natural gas (LNG), it will help in achieving our target of clean energy transition,” PM Modi said.  The areas of defence cooperation constitutes the principal pillars of India and France’s strategic partnership. “France’s National Day is the symbol of ‘liberty, equality and fraternity’ for the world,” says PM Modi, who was guest of honour at the Bastille Day Parade. Later, PM Modi will take part in India-France CEO Forum. Thereafter, at around midnight IST, PM Modi will visit Louvre Museum where he will also attend a Banquet dinner. This will be followed by PM Modi and President Macron viewing fireworks display at Eiffel Tower. 

Indian Naval Ships INS Rana and INS Sumedha undertook a Maritime Partnership Exercise (MPX) with French Navy ship FS Surcouf in the Bay of Bengal on Friday. INS Rana is a guided missile destroyer and INS Sumedha is an indigenously built offshore patrol vessel that took part in the exercise. The French Navy's La Fayette class frigate Surcouf visited Visakhapatnam from June 26-29 and participated in a variety of activities with Indian Navy ships, which included professional and social interactions, sports fixtures and cross-deck visits, the Ministry of Defence said in an official release. Before leaving Visakhapatnam, the Indian naval vessels -- Rana and Sumedha -- participated in a number of exercises with the FS Surcouf, which included tactical manoeuvres, replenishment at sea (RAS) approaches, air defence against fighter aircraft and cross-deck helicopter operations. A customary farewell steam past between the ships reaffirmed the close friendship between the two fleets, marking the end of the MPX. The visit of FS Surcouf to India signifies the strong navy-to-navy links, interoperability and strong bonds between Indian Navy and French Navy, the press release by the Ministry of Defence (MoD) read. Earlier this year, FS La Fayette, a frigate and FS Dixmude, a Mistral-class amphibious assault class ship had participated in an MPX with INS Sahyadri, a guided missile frigate from March 10 to 11.

The week-long drills (May 2-8, 2023) aimed at “enhancing interoperability and exchange of best practices among participating navies” is expected to be inaugurated by Indian Chief of Naval Staff Admiral R Hari Kumar.  Amidst the growing presence of the Chinese Navy’s presence in the Indian Ocean, the first ever ASEAN-India maritime exercise (AIME-2023) will start from Tuesday.  The week-long drills (May 2-8, 2023) aimed at “enhancing interoperability and exchange of best practices among participating navies” is expected to be inaugurated by Indian Chief of Naval Staff Admiral R Hari Kumar. New Delhi’s move to increase its maritime security cooperation with the ASEAN region comes amidst China’s growing belligerence not only on land in eastern Ladakh along the Line of Actual Control but also in the Indian Ocean, South China Sea, east China sea, Taiwan Strait and elsewhere in the Indo-Pacific Region. With AIME-2023 India becomes the 4th ASEAN dialogue partner, after Russia, China and the US to hold the ASEAN+1 maritime exercise in which navies of the Philippines, Cambodia, Myanmar, Malaysia, Singapore, Indonesia, Thailand, Vietnam, Laos, and Brunei, will be participating. The maiden exercise will be conducted off the coast of Singapore and will feature harbour and at-sea events off the coast of Singapore. INS Satpura and INS Delhi with RAdm Gurcharan Singh, the Flag Officer Commanding Eastern Fleet embarked onboard has reached Singapore to take part in the inaugural AIME-2023. From May 2-4 the Harbour Phase of the exercise will be conducted at Changi Naval Base and followed by the Sea Phase to be conducted from May 7-8, in the South China Sea. According to an official statement the AIME 2023 will provide an opportunity for the Indian Navy and ASEAN navies to conduct seamless operations in the maritime domain and to work closely. More about the participating ships INS Delhi is India’s first indigenously-built guided missile destroyer and INS Satpura, is also indigenously built guided missile stealth frigate and are fitted with state-of-the art weapons and sensors. According to the Indian Navy both are part of the Eastern Fleet based at Visakhapatnam and under the operational command of the Flag Officer Commanding-in-Chief, Eastern Naval Command. During their port call at Singapore the ships of the Indian Navy will participate in the International Maritime Security Conference (IMSC) and also International Maritime Defence Exhibition (IMDEX-23). These two events being hosted by Singapore will provide a platform for the maritime and defence sectors to showcase latest innovations and further foster engagements. For the inaugural Asean-India Maritime Exercise, the Philippine Navy has deployed its missile frigate BRP Antonio Luna (FF-151) with a 140-man contingent of Naval Task Group 80.5 onboard. Background The Indian Navy is keeping a close watch on the movement and increasing presence of the Chinese PLA Navy vessels in the Indian Ocean region and docking of its ships at the ports of Pakistan. Source: The Financial Express

      Four-nation grouping Quad on Tuesday launched a major new initiative for the Indo-Pacific that allows the partner countries to fully monitor the waters on their shores and help ensure peace and stability in the region, a move that comes amid China's increasingly intimidatory behaviour. The announcement on the rollout of the Indo-Pacific Maritime Domain Awareness (IPMDA) came at the end of the second in-person Quad summit attended by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, US President Joe Biden, Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida and his Australian counterpart Anthony Albanese.         A joint statement by the four leaders said the IPMDA will support and work in consultation with Indo-Pacific nations and regional information fusion centres in the Indian Ocean, Southeast Asia, and the Pacific Islands by providing technology and training to support shared maritime domain awareness to promote stability and prosperity. The leaders reaffirmed their commitment to a free and open Indo-Pacific and vowed to work "tirelessly to deliver tangible results" for the region. "The IPMDA embodies what the Quad stands for: catalysing our joint efforts towards concrete results that help to make the region more stable and prosperous," it said. The leaders also announced the establishment of the 'Quad Partnership on Humanitarian Assistance and Disaster Relief (HADR) in the Indo-Pacific' that is aimed at further strengthening collaboration to effectively respond to disasters in the region. According to a White House fact sheet, the IPMDA will offer a "near-real-time, integrated, and cost-effective" maritime domain awareness picture and it will transform the ability of partners in the Pacific Islands, Southeast Asia, and the Indian Ocean region to fully monitor the waters on their shores, and, in turn, "uphold a free and open Indo-Pacific”. It said the new initiative will allow tracking of 'dark shipping' and other tactical-level activities, such as rendezvous at sea. "Quad countries are committed to contributing to the region's maritime domain awareness -- a fundamental requirement for peace, stability, and prosperity -- through investment in IPMDA over five years. “The partnership will innovate upon existing maritime domain awareness efforts, rapidly bringing emerging technologies to bear for the greater good of the Indo-Pacific community," the White House said. China claims nearly all of the disputed South China Sea, though Taiwan, the Philippines, Brunei, Malaysia and Vietnam all claim parts of it. Beijing has built artificial islands and military installations in the South China Sea. China also has territorial disputes with Japan in the East China Sea. The White House said the IPMDA will build a faster, wider, and more accurate maritime picture of near-real-time activities in the waters of its partners. "This common operating picture will integrate three critical regions -- the Pacific Islands, Southeast Asia, and the Indian Ocean region -- in the Indo-Pacific. The benefits of this picture are vast: it will allow tracking of 'dark shipping' and other tactical-level activities, such as rendezvous at sea, as well as improve partners' ability to respond to climate and humanitarian events and to protect their fisheries, which are vital to many Indo-Pacific economies," the White House said. It said the IPMDA will harness commercially-available data using existing technologies. "Through a combination of automatic identification system and radio-frequency technologies, Quad partners can provide an unprecedented 'common thread' of activities. Because of its commercial origin, this data will be unclassified, allowing the Quad to provide it to a wide range of partners who wish to benefit," it said. It said existing support infrastructure for information-sharing such as the Information Fusion Cente for Indian Ocean Region in India, the Information Fusion Center based in Singapore; the Pacific Islands Forum Fisheries Agency based in the Solomon Islands and the Pacific Fusion Center, based in Vanuatu, could be part of the initiative.   The White House said the Quad partners will begin immediate consultations on the opportunity with partners in the region. "As the initiative proceeds, the Quad will identify future technologies of promise, allowing IPMDA to remain a cutting-edge partnership that promotes peace and stability throughout the region," it said. In their statement, the Quad leaders reaffirmed their commitment to a free and open Indo-Pacific and emphasised the importance of fundamental values and principles. They also expressed their commitment to work tirelessly to deliver "tangible results" to the region. "In doing so, we will regularise the Quad activities, including regular meetings by the leaders and foreign ministers. We agree to hold our next in-person summit in 2023 hosted by Australia," they said. The Quad leaders on Tuesday also strongly opposed any coercive, provocative or unilateral actions that seek to change status quo and increase tensions in the Indo-Pacific and reaffirmed their resolve to uphold the international rules-based order, amidst China's growing assertiveness in the region. "We strongly oppose any coercive, provocative or unilateral actions that seek to change the status quo and increase tensions in the area, such as the militarization of disputed features, the dangerous use of coast guard vessels and maritime militia, and efforts to disrupt other countries' offshore resource exploitation activities," said a joint statement issued after the meeting. It said the Quad is committed to cooperation with partners in the region who share the vision of a free and open Indo-Pacific. "We will champion adherence to international law, particularly as reflected in the UN Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS), and the maintenance of freedom of navigation and overflight, to meet challenges to the maritime rules-based order, including in the East and South China Seas," the statement said. The summit took place at a time when the relations between China and the Quad member countries have become tense, with Beijing increasingly challenging democratic values and resorting to coercive trade practices. Relations between India and China nose-dived after the Eastern Ladakh standoff in 2020 following Beijing moving thousands of troops to several disputed areas along the Line of Actual Control (LAC) which was strongly objected to and resisted by New Delhi. China claims nearly all of the disputed South China Sea, though Taiwan, the Philippines, Brunei, Malaysia and Vietnam all claim parts of it. Beijing has built artificial islands and military installations in the South China Sea. India, the US and several other world powers have been talking about the need to ensure a free, open and thriving Indo-Pacific against the backdrop of China's rising military manoeuvring in the region. "We strongly support the principles of freedom, rule of law, democratic values, sovereignty and territorial integrity, peaceful settlement of disputes without resorting to threat or use of force, any unilateral attempt to change the status quo, and freedom of navigation and overflight, all of which are essential to the peace, stability and prosperity of the Indo-Pacific region and to the world," the joint statement said. The Quad will continue to act decisively together to advance these principles in the region and beyond, the statement said as it reaffirmed the four-nation grouping's resolve to uphold the international rules-based order where countries are free from all forms of military, economic and political coercion.   Source: rediff.com

Two vessels, JS URAGA (Mine Sweeper Tender) and JS HIRADO (Mine Sweeper Ocean) of the Japan Maritime Self-Defense Force (JMSDF), arrived at Chattogram Port on 8 January 2022 for a goodwill port visit. They will stay in Chattogram till 10 January 2022.   Receiving Ceremony was held on the same day at the port jetty. Captain NOGUCHI Yasushi, Commanding Officer of the Deployment, and his officers were received by Captain Masudul Karim Siddique, Chief Staff Officer to Commander, Chattogram Naval Area and greeted by H.E. Mr. ITO Naoki, Ambassador of Japan to Bangladesh, ‍said a press release.     During this port visit, the Bangladesh Navy will organize exchange programs such as visits on board. Ambassador ITO and Captain NOGUCHI will make courtesy calls on Rear Admiral Mohammad Mozammel Haque, Commander, Chattogram Naval Area, Commodore Mir Ershad Ali, Commander,Bangladesh Navy Fleet, andRear Admiral M Shahjahan, Chariman,ChattogramPort Authority respectively on 9th. The Japanese delegates will alsomake a courtesy call on Mr. Md. Rezaul Karim Chowdhury, Honorable Mayor,Chattogram City Corporation. Moreover, JS HIRADO and JS URAGA will conduct a goodwill exercise with the Bangladesh Navy in the surrounding sea on 10th.   The JMSDF has made port visits to Chattogram two times before, in 2012 and in 2019. This third visit has taken place in a very memorable year, which marks the 50th anniversary of the establishment of the diplomatic relations between Japan and Bangladesh. This port visit is particularly significant, as it is the event to celebrate the 50th anniversary of the two countries.   JS URAGA and JS HIRADO departed from Japan on 12 December 2021 for IMED21: Indo-Pacific and Middle East Deployment21 and has made a visit to Bangladesh after Brunei. They will also visit Sri Lanka, Bahrain, and Malaysia, returning to Japan on 31 March 2022.It is expected that this port visit will not only strengthen bilateral relations between Japan and Bangladesh but also contribute to realize a “Free and Open Indo-Pacific”, which is a vision to secure peace, stability and prosperity in the region.  

The Navy has inducted two more Poseidon 8I maritime reconnaissance and anti-submarine warfare aircraft, in a boost to its surveillance capabilities in the Indian Ocean in the face of China's increasing forays into the region. The two aircraft, manufactured by US aerospace major Boeing, arrived in India on December 30, officials said on Tuesday.   "The Indian Navy's Boeing P-8I aircraft commenced operations from INS Hansa, Goa with two aircraft arriving on December 30. The aircraft were inducted after fitment of indigenous equipment and flight acceptance trials," Indian Navy spokesperson Commander Vivek Madhwal said.   On arrival, the two aircraft were welcomed by a MiG 29K formation, he said.   The Navy had acquired the first batch of eight P-8I aircraft in 2013. The aircraft are stationed at INS Rajali, Arakkonam.   "The second batch of four additional aircraft will be based at Indian Naval Air Squadron 316, to be commissioned at INS Hansa," Madhwal said.   The existing fleet of P-8Is is extensively deployed to keep track of the movement of Chinese ships and submarines in the Indian Ocean region.   The P-8I, based on the Boeing next-generation 737 commercial airplane, is a variant of the P-8A Poseidon used by the US Navy.   A fleet of the P-8Is was also deployed to carry out surveillance on the movement of Chinese troops in eastern Ladakh in 2020.   To boost its surveillance mechanism, the Navy had taken on lease two Sea Guardian drones from an American defence major over a year ago.   India has also stepped up groundwork on a long-conceived proposal to procure 30 multi-mission armed Predator drones from the US for the three services at an estimated cost of over USD 3 billion.   The medium-altitude long-endurance (MALE) Predator-B drones, manufactured by US defence major General Atomics, are capable of remaining airborne for around 35 hours and can hunt down targets at land and sea.   The remotely piloted drones, also known as MQ-9 Reaper, can be deployed on a range of missions including surveillance, reconnaissance, intelligence gathering and destroying enemy targets. Source: NDTV