• Latest
  • Trending
Can the Indian Ocean be a Zone of Peace as proposed by Lankan President?

Can the Indian Ocean be a Zone of Peace as proposed by Lankan President?

October 12, 2021
Bangladesh Foreign Minister’s call to South Asia: “Set aside differences and cooperate”

Bangladesh Foreign Minister’s call to South Asia: “Set aside differences and cooperate”

February 4, 2023
Indian High Commission greets Sri Lankans on Independence Day in a unique way

Indian High Commission greets Sri Lankans on Independence Day in a unique way

February 4, 2023
Tea pluckers in Sri Lanka

Can Sri Lanka trade its way back to prosperity?

February 4, 2023
Electricity

Power cut schedule for today in Sri Lanka: February 4th

February 4, 2023
Whatsapp. Image credits - AARN GIRI / Unsplash

WhatsApp working on Calling shortcut feature for Android

February 3, 2023
Paris Club

Paris Club to give Sri Lanka financial assurances amid IMF debt talks – report

February 3, 2023
The first coin was officially presented to Hon. Ranil Wickremesinghe, the President of Sri Lanka by Dr. P. Nandalal Weerasinghe, Governor of CBSL at the President’s House at Kandy

Central Bank issues a Coin to mark 75th Independence Celebration of Sri Lanka

February 4, 2023
Kompanna Vidiya

No more ‘Slave Island’, it’s ‘Kompanna Vidiya’

February 3, 2023
Renaming Slave Island blots out a colonial blemish

Renaming Slave Island blots out a colonial blemish

February 3, 2023
Cows

China says it successfully cloned 3 highly productive ‘super cows’

February 3, 2023
Reserve Bank Of India (RBI)

India cenbank asks local banks for details of Adani exposure

February 2, 2023
U.S. Under Secretary of State for Political Affairs Victoria Nuland

China has not done enough on Sri Lanka debt restructuring – U.S. diplomat

February 2, 2023
  • About Us
  • Advertisements
  • Privacy Policy
  • Contact
Sunday, February 5, 2023
No Result
View All Result
NewsIn.Asia
  • Home
  • Around South Asia
    • All
    • Afghanistan
    • Bangladesh
    • Bhutan
    • China
    • India
    • Maldives
    • Myanmar
    • Nepal
    • Pakistan
    • Sri Lanka
    Bangladesh Foreign Minister’s call to South Asia: “Set aside differences and cooperate”

    Bangladesh Foreign Minister’s call to South Asia: “Set aside differences and cooperate”

    Indian High Commission greets Sri Lankans on Independence Day in a unique way

    Indian High Commission greets Sri Lankans on Independence Day in a unique way

    Tea pluckers in Sri Lanka

    Can Sri Lanka trade its way back to prosperity?

    Electricity

    Power cut schedule for today in Sri Lanka: February 4th

    Paris Club

    Paris Club to give Sri Lanka financial assurances amid IMF debt talks – report

    The first coin was officially presented to Hon. Ranil Wickremesinghe, the President of Sri Lanka by Dr. P. Nandalal Weerasinghe, Governor of CBSL at the President’s House at Kandy

    Central Bank issues a Coin to mark 75th Independence Celebration of Sri Lanka

    Kompanna Vidiya

    No more ‘Slave Island’, it’s ‘Kompanna Vidiya’

    Renaming Slave Island blots out a colonial blemish

    Renaming Slave Island blots out a colonial blemish

    Cows

    China says it successfully cloned 3 highly productive ‘super cows’

  • World
    • All
    • Japan
    • Russia
    • United Kingdom
    • United States
    U.S. Under Secretary of State for Political Affairs Victoria Nuland

    China has not done enough on Sri Lanka debt restructuring – U.S. diplomat

    UK hit by biggest strike action in more than a decade

    United Kingdom hit by biggest strike action in more than a decade

    Sri Lanka

    Sri Lanka makes top 10 in ‘Most Instagrammable Places in the World 2023’

    Bangladesh

    Bangladesh secures loans of $4.7 billion from IMF

    Chief pilot Ian Porter with wife Michelle, daughters Samantha and Sydney, who act as his co-pilots, and son Christopher.. Image credits - Samantha Porter

    The family of five flying around the world in a tiny plane

    Tory peer accused of ‘racially charged’ attack on BBC Modi documentary

    Tory peer accused of ‘racially charged’ attack on BBC Modi documentary

    Robert Clive and the taking of India

    Robert Clive and the taking of India

    Gandhi’s influence on Sri Lanka’s non-violent Independence struggle

    Gandhi’s influence on Sri Lanka’s non-violent Independence struggle

    The world is tired Of United States’ wars

    The world is tired Of United States’ wars

  • Business
  • Politics
  • Sports
  • Entertainment
    • All
    • Books
    • Gaming
    • Movie
    • Music
    • Series
    "Avatar: The Way of Water" has soared into the $2 billion club of top grossing movies worldwide.

    ‘Avatar: The Way of Water’ crosses $2 billion mark in worldwide box office

    Pathaan

    Posters of Shah Rukh Khan’s Pathaan torn down and burnt outside cinemas in India

    Oscars 2023

    Oscars 2023: ‘Everything Everywhere All At Once’ leads nominations

    Much-awaited Sri Lankan 3D animation movie “Gajaman” coming to theatres

    Much-awaited Sri Lankan 3D animation movie “Gajaman” coming to theatres

    Prince William and Prince Harry arrive at the Canadian National Vimy Memorial in Vimy, France on April 9, 2017.. Image credits - Jack Taylor/Getty Images/File

    Prince Harry’s ‘Spare’ creates world record, becomes fastest selling non-fiction book

    Cocaine Bear (Credit: Universal Pictures)

    20 of the best films to watch in 2023

    Avatar

    Avatar: The Way Of Water passes USD 1B at the global box office

    (Image credit: Alamy)

    The 20 best films of 2022

    Harry and Meghan

    ‘Harry & Meghan’ is Netflix’s most watched documentary debut in its first week

  • Lifestyle
    • All
    • Fashion
    • Food
    • Health
    • Science
    • Travel
    Child. Image credits - Filip Mroz @mroz / Unsplash

    Your child’s academic success may start with their screen time as infants

    Chief pilot Ian Porter with wife Michelle, daughters Samantha and Sydney, who act as his co-pilots, and son Christopher.. Image credits - Samantha Porter

    The family of five flying around the world in a tiny plane

    Vaping

    Researchers uncover new negative effects of vaping

    Paris. Image credits - Alexander Kagan allewollenalex / Unsplash

    World’s ‘most powerful’ tourism city revealed

    Image credits - NASA nasa / Unsplash

    Earth’s inner core may have started spinning other way

    Global citizenship and residence advisory firm Henley & Partners has released its quarterly report on the world's most desirable passports. Click on to find out which passport offers the most access in 2023. Justin Sullivan/Getty Images

    The world’s most powerful passport for 2023 revealed

    Image credits - Tetiana Bykovets tetiana_bykovets / Unsplash

    New research reveals reason why chocolate tastes so good

    NASA’s Webb telescope

    Extraterrestrial wonders: Webb Telescope detects its 1st exoplanet

    Asafoetida plant. Photo via Adobe Stock.

    The most controversial ingredient in Indian food

    Best diet for 2023 is the science-backed Mediterranean style of eating

    Best diet for 2023 is the science-backed Mediterranean style of eating

    Trending Tags

    • Golden Globes
    • Mr. Robot
    • MotoGP 2017
    • Climate Change
    • Flat Earth
  • Tech
    Whatsapp. Image credits - AARN GIRI / Unsplash

    WhatsApp working on Calling shortcut feature for Android

    Child. Image credits - Filip Mroz @mroz / Unsplash

    Your child’s academic success may start with their screen time as infants

    Donald Trump

    Meta says it will restore Donald Trump’s Facebook and Instagram accounts

    WhatsApp

    5 great new features coming to WhatsApp in 2023

    Binance

    Binance is now authorised in seven EU Member States and fifteen jurisdictions worldwide

    Elon Musk

    Elon Musk breaks world record for largest loss of personal fortune in history

    Trending Tags

    • Sillicon Valley
    • Climate Change
    • Election Results
    • Flat Earth
    • Golden Globes
    • MotoGP 2017
    • Mr. Robot
  • Coronavirus
  • Videos
  • Home
  • Around South Asia
    • All
    • Afghanistan
    • Bangladesh
    • Bhutan
    • China
    • India
    • Maldives
    • Myanmar
    • Nepal
    • Pakistan
    • Sri Lanka
    Bangladesh Foreign Minister’s call to South Asia: “Set aside differences and cooperate”

    Bangladesh Foreign Minister’s call to South Asia: “Set aside differences and cooperate”

    Indian High Commission greets Sri Lankans on Independence Day in a unique way

    Indian High Commission greets Sri Lankans on Independence Day in a unique way

    Tea pluckers in Sri Lanka

    Can Sri Lanka trade its way back to prosperity?

    Electricity

    Power cut schedule for today in Sri Lanka: February 4th

    Paris Club

    Paris Club to give Sri Lanka financial assurances amid IMF debt talks – report

    The first coin was officially presented to Hon. Ranil Wickremesinghe, the President of Sri Lanka by Dr. P. Nandalal Weerasinghe, Governor of CBSL at the President’s House at Kandy

    Central Bank issues a Coin to mark 75th Independence Celebration of Sri Lanka

    Kompanna Vidiya

    No more ‘Slave Island’, it’s ‘Kompanna Vidiya’

    Renaming Slave Island blots out a colonial blemish

    Renaming Slave Island blots out a colonial blemish

    Cows

    China says it successfully cloned 3 highly productive ‘super cows’

  • World
    • All
    • Japan
    • Russia
    • United Kingdom
    • United States
    U.S. Under Secretary of State for Political Affairs Victoria Nuland

    China has not done enough on Sri Lanka debt restructuring – U.S. diplomat

    UK hit by biggest strike action in more than a decade

    United Kingdom hit by biggest strike action in more than a decade

    Sri Lanka

    Sri Lanka makes top 10 in ‘Most Instagrammable Places in the World 2023’

    Bangladesh

    Bangladesh secures loans of $4.7 billion from IMF

    Chief pilot Ian Porter with wife Michelle, daughters Samantha and Sydney, who act as his co-pilots, and son Christopher.. Image credits - Samantha Porter

    The family of five flying around the world in a tiny plane

    Tory peer accused of ‘racially charged’ attack on BBC Modi documentary

    Tory peer accused of ‘racially charged’ attack on BBC Modi documentary

    Robert Clive and the taking of India

    Robert Clive and the taking of India

    Gandhi’s influence on Sri Lanka’s non-violent Independence struggle

    Gandhi’s influence on Sri Lanka’s non-violent Independence struggle

    The world is tired Of United States’ wars

    The world is tired Of United States’ wars

  • Business
  • Politics
  • Sports
  • Entertainment
    • All
    • Books
    • Gaming
    • Movie
    • Music
    • Series
    "Avatar: The Way of Water" has soared into the $2 billion club of top grossing movies worldwide.

    ‘Avatar: The Way of Water’ crosses $2 billion mark in worldwide box office

    Pathaan

    Posters of Shah Rukh Khan’s Pathaan torn down and burnt outside cinemas in India

    Oscars 2023

    Oscars 2023: ‘Everything Everywhere All At Once’ leads nominations

    Much-awaited Sri Lankan 3D animation movie “Gajaman” coming to theatres

    Much-awaited Sri Lankan 3D animation movie “Gajaman” coming to theatres

    Prince William and Prince Harry arrive at the Canadian National Vimy Memorial in Vimy, France on April 9, 2017.. Image credits - Jack Taylor/Getty Images/File

    Prince Harry’s ‘Spare’ creates world record, becomes fastest selling non-fiction book

    Cocaine Bear (Credit: Universal Pictures)

    20 of the best films to watch in 2023

    Avatar

    Avatar: The Way Of Water passes USD 1B at the global box office

    (Image credit: Alamy)

    The 20 best films of 2022

    Harry and Meghan

    ‘Harry & Meghan’ is Netflix’s most watched documentary debut in its first week

  • Lifestyle
    • All
    • Fashion
    • Food
    • Health
    • Science
    • Travel
    Child. Image credits - Filip Mroz @mroz / Unsplash

    Your child’s academic success may start with their screen time as infants

    Chief pilot Ian Porter with wife Michelle, daughters Samantha and Sydney, who act as his co-pilots, and son Christopher.. Image credits - Samantha Porter

    The family of five flying around the world in a tiny plane

    Vaping

    Researchers uncover new negative effects of vaping

    Paris. Image credits - Alexander Kagan allewollenalex / Unsplash

    World’s ‘most powerful’ tourism city revealed

    Image credits - NASA nasa / Unsplash

    Earth’s inner core may have started spinning other way

    Global citizenship and residence advisory firm Henley & Partners has released its quarterly report on the world's most desirable passports. Click on to find out which passport offers the most access in 2023. Justin Sullivan/Getty Images

    The world’s most powerful passport for 2023 revealed

    Image credits - Tetiana Bykovets tetiana_bykovets / Unsplash

    New research reveals reason why chocolate tastes so good

    NASA’s Webb telescope

    Extraterrestrial wonders: Webb Telescope detects its 1st exoplanet

    Asafoetida plant. Photo via Adobe Stock.

    The most controversial ingredient in Indian food

    Best diet for 2023 is the science-backed Mediterranean style of eating

    Best diet for 2023 is the science-backed Mediterranean style of eating

    Trending Tags

    • Golden Globes
    • Mr. Robot
    • MotoGP 2017
    • Climate Change
    • Flat Earth
  • Tech
    Whatsapp. Image credits - AARN GIRI / Unsplash

    WhatsApp working on Calling shortcut feature for Android

    Child. Image credits - Filip Mroz @mroz / Unsplash

    Your child’s academic success may start with their screen time as infants

    Donald Trump

    Meta says it will restore Donald Trump’s Facebook and Instagram accounts

    WhatsApp

    5 great new features coming to WhatsApp in 2023

    Binance

    Binance is now authorised in seven EU Member States and fifteen jurisdictions worldwide

    Elon Musk

    Elon Musk breaks world record for largest loss of personal fortune in history

    Trending Tags

    • Sillicon Valley
    • Climate Change
    • Election Results
    • Flat Earth
    • Golden Globes
    • MotoGP 2017
    • Mr. Robot
  • Coronavirus
  • Videos
NewsIn.Asia
No Result
View All Result
Home Around South Asia China

Can the Indian Ocean be a Zone of Peace as proposed by Lankan President?

Editor by Editor
October 12, 2021
in China, India, Security, Sri Lanka, Strategic Affairs, Top Story, Uncategorized
Reading Time: 6 mins read
17 1
A A
Can the Indian Ocean be a Zone of Peace as proposed by Lankan President?

President Gotabaya Rajapaksa with Harsh Vardhan Shringla

40
SHARES
Share on WhatsApp

By P.K.Balachandran

Colombo, October 7 (Counterpoint): In his meeting with the visiting Indian Foreign Secretary, Harsh Vardhan Shringla, here on October 5, the Sri Lankan President Gotabaya Rajapaksa sought a return to the kind of bilateral relations that existed in the 1960s and 70s and sought India’s support for his wish to turn the Indian Ocean into a “Zone of Peace.”

Indeed, in the 1960s and 1970s, the leaderships of the two countries saw eye to eye on many matters, both domestic and international, and a number of pacts were signed. Non-Alignment and world peace were living philosophies. 

ADVERTISEMENT

For similar articles, join our Whatsapp group for the latest updates. – click here 

President Gotabaya’s plea for a Zone of Peace stemmed from a growing anxiety among Sri Lankans about their island-home becoming a theater of a conflict between China on the one hand, and a US-led coalition including India, on the other.

The formation of QUAD (an economic cum security alliance between the US, Japan, India and Australia), that is aimed at countering and containing China in the Indo-Pacific region, has aggravated fears of an armed conflict in the Indian Ocean. With the emergence of QUAD, the Indian Ocean has been linked with the Pacific Ocean to form a single security zone. Therefore, a Pacific war could become an Indian Ocean war. The formation of AUKUS involving the US, Australia and the UK, and the US decision to supply Australia with nuclear submarines have further increased the prospect of conflict with China in the entire Indo-Pacific region.

To allay fears in India that his Zone of Peace concept might weaken India’s preparedness to meet emerging threats to it from an increasingly assertive China, the Lankan President assured Shringla that India need not fear that Sri Lanka’s relations with China would be detrimental to India’s security. He assured that Sri Lanka would do nothing to jeopardize India’s security.

Earlier, India too had wanted the Indian Ocean to be a Zone of Peace,  when it felt threatened by the docking of a Chinese submarine at the Colombo harbor. In December 2014, the visiting Indian National Security Advisor Ajit Doval told the ‘Galle Dialogue’, that countries in the region must go back to the 1971 UN General Assembly (UNGA) resolution, mooted by Sri Lanka, urging the declaration of the Indian Ocean as a Zone of Peace.

READ: Lankan President promises a new constitution in 2022

The Concept

It was in September 1970 that the then Sri Lankan Prime Minister Sirimavo Bandaranaike mooted the idea in her speech at the Non-Aligned Movement (NAM) Summit in Lusaka. It was reflected in the final declaration of the Lusaka summit. The immediate provocation was the establishment of a major US naval base in Diego Garcia. Later, in December 1971, the Indian Ocean Region saw US military intervention when the nuclear-powered carrier USS Enterprise sailed into the Bay of Bengal to thwart India’s military operation to create Bangladesh.

When Sirimavo raised the issue at the UNGA on 12 October 1971, she made the following proposals: 1) Warships and ships carrying war material would have the right of transit but they will not to be allowed to stop except for emergency reasons. 2) There should be a ban on naval manoeuvres, intelligence operations and naval tests. 3) All foreign military bases should be excluded from the littoral and hinterland States.

But the world’s powers felt that these proposals were “simplistic, idealistic and naïve”. Their arguments were:  1) Implementation of such proposals would violate international law on the freedom of navigation on the high seas for all ships guaranteed by the 1958 Law of the Sea. 2) A group of States in any given region cannot establish a separate legal regime for the high seas. 3) The Indian Ocean is of concern not only to the littoral States but also to the entire international community. 4)  Verification of intent of any warship would be difficult.

However, supporters of the resolution like Sri Lanka’s Ambassador Shirley Amarasinghe argued that the freedom of the high seas does not adequately serve the fundamental interests of all nations alike. It is clearly weighted in favor of the dominant user nations. US, UK and France strongly opposed the proposal. Some felt that the strategic space in the Indian Ocean will be monopolized by India.

Be that as it may, by Resolution 2832 (1971), the UNGA declared the Indian Ocean a “Zone of Peace”. It called upon the great powers to enter into immediate consultations with the littoral States of the Indian Ocean, to halt further escalation and expansion of their military presence in the region. The declaration upheld the need to preserve the independence, sovereignty and territorial integrity of the States of the Indian Ocean Region (IOR) and sought to resolve political, economic and social issues affecting the region under conditions of peace and security.

The Indian Ocean

On 15 December 1972, UN Resolution 2992 (XXVII) was adopted. By this an Ad Hoc Committee of fifteen members was set up to study the implications of the Indian Ocean peace zone proposal. But, the Ad Hoc Committee came up with nothing.  However, when the issue was brought before the UNGA in 1976 for a vote, the tally was 106 for, none against, and 26 abstaining. The US and the USSR abstained.

The US delegate said: “‘This resolution may affect the fundamental security interests not only of States compelled to maintain significant military preparedness but also of states that rely on the stability created by a political and military balance.” He also argued that the resolution was likely to pre-empt efforts to create a new regime of the Law of the Sea in as much as it proposed a special set of rules for a particular area, thus setting a dangerous precedent.

The Soviet delegate concurred saying: “We reject the view that a group of States in a certain region can establish a legal regime for the high Seas in that region.”

However, by 1977, conditions had changed. In the UNGA vote on the issue, the Soviet Union was among 123 States that voted in favor of the resolution. The US voted against. The Soviets changed because of America’s naval expansion plans in Diego Garcia and the stationing of submarines such as Polaris and Poseidon.

The rise of China as a maritime power in the second decade of this century, changed the balance of power in the Indian Ocean Region (IOR) to the detriment of the Western powers and their allies. The tilt raised the hackles in Washington, New Delhi and Tokyo. India is already beefing up its naval presence in the IOR through engagements with the countries of the region especially the Maldives and Sri Lanka. The US has formed the QUAD with Australia, India and Japan, and the AUKUS with Australia and UK.

Pakistan is also flexing its naval muscles and its target is India.  Since 2007, the Pakistan Navy had been conducting the “Aman” Naval Exercises. In 2021, the Russian navy participated in it, raising its profile.

Although nations in the IOR recognize the need for international naval cooperation to prevent human trafficking, drug smuggling and terrorist movements, and are enthusiastic supporters of joint naval exercises to smash such criminal elements, they are also apprehensive about being dragged into armed conflicts between big powers jockeying for hegemony in the region. Hence the periodical call by Sri Lanka for the  designation of the Indian Ocean as a Zone of Peace, however dim the prospect of its being effective. If Sirimavo Bandaranaike called for it in 1970-71 and campaigned for it vigorously, President Gotabaya Rajapaksa called for it twice, first in October 2020, and again in October 2021.

END

Subscribe to our Whatsapp channel for the latest updates from around the world

READ: Lankan President promises a new constitution in 2022

Tags: 1071 UNGA resoluutionGotabaya RajapaksaHarsh Vardhan ShringlaIndian OceanZone of Peace

Related Posts

Bangladesh Foreign Minister’s call to South Asia: “Set aside differences and cooperate”
Bangladesh

Bangladesh Foreign Minister’s call to South Asia: “Set aside differences and cooperate”

February 4, 2023
Indian High Commission greets Sri Lankans on Independence Day in a unique way
India

Indian High Commission greets Sri Lankans on Independence Day in a unique way

February 4, 2023
Tea pluckers in Sri Lanka
Around South Asia

Can Sri Lanka trade its way back to prosperity?

February 4, 2023
Electricity
Around South Asia

Power cut schedule for today in Sri Lanka: February 4th

February 4, 2023
Paris Club
Around South Asia

Paris Club to give Sri Lanka financial assurances amid IMF debt talks – report

February 3, 2023
The first coin was officially presented to Hon. Ranil Wickremesinghe, the President of Sri Lanka by Dr. P. Nandalal Weerasinghe, Governor of CBSL at the President’s House at Kandy
Around South Asia

Central Bank issues a Coin to mark 75th Independence Celebration of Sri Lanka

February 4, 2023
  • Electricity

    Power cut schedule for today in Sri Lanka: February 4th

    58986 shares
    Share 23617 Tweet 14737
  • Registration open for National Fuel Pass

    6626 shares
    Share 2688 Tweet 1641
  • Foreign Currency Official Exchange Rates from Central Bank of Sri Lanka

    1680 shares
    Share 679 Tweet 417
  • WATCH : Yohani’s first live performance in India

    789 shares
    Share 328 Tweet 192
  • Power interruption schedule released: Check your area power cut time

    747 shares
    Share 325 Tweet 176
  • About Us
  • Advertisements
  • Privacy Policy
  • Contact

© 2022 All rights reserved.

No Result
View All Result
  • Home
  • Around South Asia
    • Afghanistan
    • Bangladesh
    • Bhutan
    • China
    • India
    • Maldives
    • Myanmar
    • Nepal
    • Pakistan
    • Sri Lanka
  • Around The World
  • Breaking News
  • Business
    • Exchange
  • Climate Change
  • Governance
    • Crime
    • Diplomacy
    • Defense
    • Human Rights
    • Politics
    • Strategic Affairs
  • Lifestyle
    • Books
    • Entertainment
      • Arts
      • Cinema
      • Gaming
      • Music
      • Movie
      • Series
      • TV
    • Health
    • Fashion
    • Food
    • Travel
  • Culture
    • Ethnicity
    • Gender
  • Development news
  • Economy
  • Education
  • Environment
  • Coronavirus
  • History
  • National
  • Offbeat
    • Media
    • Music and arts across South Asia
  • Recommended
    • Headlines
    • Highlights
    • Top Picture
    • Top Story
  • Religion
  • Science
  • Sports
    • Football
    • Cricket
      • LPL
      • IPL
    • Tennis
    • Formula 1
    • NBA
  • Tech
    • Instagram
  • United Nations
  • Weather
  • World
    • Japan
    • Russia
    • United States
  • Videos

© 2022 All rights reserved.

Welcome Back!

Login to your account below

Forgotten Password? Sign Up

Create New Account!

Fill the forms below to register

All fields are required. Log In

Retrieve your password

Please enter your username or email address to reset your password.

Log In

Add New Playlist

eskisehir escort -

https://www.vudols.com/

- Sağlık Personeli - mersin escort - Antalya korsan taksi