Nations’ teamwork needed for Indian Ocean security: Defence expert

1 December 2014 11:53 am

The cooperation between nations is essential to assure the security in the Indian Ocean and to make it free from human smuggling, drug trafficking and piracy, the visiting Indian Defence expert Dr. Ajit Kumar Doval said today.

 

Dr. Doval is the current National Security Adviser of India. He has served in the Indian Police Service (IPS), Intelligence Bureau (IB) and many other security entities prior to his retirement in 2005 as Intelligence Bureau Director.

 

Delivering the keynote speech as the guest of honour of the International Maritime Conference - Galle Dialogue 2014, he said some of the East Asian countries still face many obstacles due to the lack of maritime security.

 

“Plights arising from human smuggling and drug trafficking has badly affected some of the countries in East Asia even today. Piracy has taken a new version today,” he said.

 

While congratulating Sri Lanka for eliminating terrorism from the island, thus strengthening the security of the region, he said India too had contributed much to assure the safety in the ocean.  

 

“However, joint researches between countries, bilateral relationships and proper communication would ensure the security of the region and would also assist in the growth of the economies and development of nations,” Dr. Doval said.

 

The Maritime Conference Galle Dialogue 2014 was organised by the Sri Lanka Navy for the fifth consecutive year under the aegis of the Defence and Urban Development Ministry. The conference is a concept of Defence Ministry Secretary Gotabaya Rajapaksa. (Lahiru Pothmulla)