India, Asean should continue to improve maritime cooperation: Fachir

India, Asean should continue to improve maritime cooperation: Fachir

Deputy Foreign Affairs Minister AM Fachir. (ANTARA /Puspa Perwitasari)

Jakarta (ANTARA News) - Maritime cooperation between India and the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) is not a choice but necessity, Deputy Foreign Minister A.M. Fachir stated during the Delhi Dialogue X Ministerial Session in India, July 19.

"Since several centuries, the Indian and Pacific oceans have become geographical advantages that have linked, unified, and profited India and the ASEAN countries," Fachir noted in a statement received by Antara on Friday.

Hence, India and the ASEAN should continue to improve maritime cooperation, especially in the fields of maritime and economic security, as well as environment protection and conservation.

Fachir also highlighted the areas of potential and advantages of the ASEAN countries and India, including high economic growth above the global average.

He believes that India and the ASEAN are able to become the centers of economic growth in both oceans, which are being known as the Indo-Pacific region.

Based on this objective, the Indonesian government believes that the development of maritime infrastructure and transportation is vital to boosting investment and trade.

Hence, during President Joko Widodo`s government, Indonesia has been intensively developing various maritime infrastructure projects, including 32 seaports until 2019.

To this end, Fachir has invited India and other ASEAN member states to invest in maritime infrastructure projects in Indonesia.

Fachir also delivered an invitation for the Indian government to attend the 2018 "Our Ocean Conference" event to be held in Bali on October 29-30, 2018. The conference is part of Indonesia`s commitment to taking concrete steps on sea preservation.

Delhi Dialogue X was held in New Delhi, India, on July 19-20, 2018, and attended by ministers, deputy ministers, prominent businessmen, academics, and think tanks from India and ASEAN countries. The main theme of the meeting was "Strengthening ASEAN-India Maritime Cooperation."
Reported by Yuni Arisandy
(T.Y013/A/KR-BSR/A014) 20-07-2018 16:44:18