By Sahil Pandey
Colombo [Sri Lanka], September 9 : Defence Minister Rajnath Singh on Wednesday said India and Sri Lankan ports could become "engines of shared economic growth", with maritime industries emerging as drivers of future prosperity for both nations and the wider region, as he addressed Sri Lanka's military leadership at the island nation's Ministry of Defence.
Speaking on 'India-Sri Lanka Maritime Cooperation in the Indian Ocean Region' as part of his three-day visit, Singh said the future of bilateral ties should rest on the premise that "proximity creates interdependence", which in turn opens up "immense opportunities for a shared evolution" between the two maritime neighbours.
Addressing the long-standing fishermen dispute between the two countries, Singh said he was aware of the challenges faced by fishermen on both sides and called for working together to resolve fisheries disputes "in a mutually beneficial manner", keeping in view relevant laws and geographic jurisdictions.
He termed it fundamentally "a livelihood issue" that needed to be handled with care and sensitivity, even as maritime law enforcement was ensured.
The Defence Minister invoked Prime Minister Narendra Modi's MAHASAGAR vision for the Indian Ocean Region, calling on both countries to move beyond a "traditional template" of cooperation and build new paradigms rooted in the vision's "mutual" and "holistic" principles.
Quoting naval strategist Alfred Thayer Mahan's remark that "who rules the sea, rules the world," Singh said the Indian Ocean was no longer merely a waterway but "the stage on which the economic and strategic future of our region will be written."
He cited joint successes, including coordination during the MT New Diamond and MV X-Press Pearl maritime emergencies, cooperation under the Colombo Security Conclave, and the shared Maritime Rescue Coordination Centre as proof of deepening bilateral trust.
Singh proposed a joint, real-time maritime domain awareness system between the two navies and coast guards to counter illegal fishing, narcotics trafficking and smuggling, and pitched an institutionalised economic framework spanning fisheries, marine biotechnology, ocean science and maritime tourism, alongside a joint HADR mechanism for disaster response.
Describing India as Sri Lanka's "Vishwa-Mitra", Singh said the two countries were "well positioned to serve as the closest partners in safeguarding peace, security, and stability across the Indian Ocean Region."
The Defence Minister’s remarks come as India and Sri Lanka seek to further deepen their traditionally close bilateral ties, with defence and maritime cooperation emerging as key areas of focus during his three-day visit, which began on Tuesday.