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What's the article about?
- It talks about the issue of maritime security in the Global South, its related challenges and suggestions.
Relevance:
- GS2: Effect of Policies and Politics of Developed and Developing Countries on India’s interests, Indian Diaspora
Context:
- Charles Darwin's notion of resilient adaptability remains relevant in today's maritime domain, where new threats demand flexible approaches. While hard security challenges like asymmetrical tactics and combat drones pose significant risks, unconventional threats such as illegal fishing, natural disasters, and climate change require more nuanced responses.
Analysis:
- New Threats in the Maritime Domain: Traditional military means may be ineffective against unconventional maritime threats, necessitating long-term commitments of capital, resources, and specialized personnel. The Global South, particularly in Asia, Africa, and the Southern Pacific, faces disproportionate vulnerabilities due to rising sea levels, pollution, climate change, and natural disasters.
- Unequal Law Enforcement and Security Coordination: Littoral states in Asia and Africa often lack the law enforcement capabilities and security coordination needed to jointly combat maritime threats. Varying security priorities and reluctance to rely on foreign agencies hinder cooperative efforts. Nevertheless, information sharing remains crucial for advancing common minimum security goals.
- Creative Models for Maritime Security: India's Maritime Vision 2030 and Dhaka's inaugural Indo-Pacific document promote developmental approaches to maritime security, focusing on economic growth, resource protection, and the Blue Economy. These models exemplify the need to balance security with prosperity and environmental sustainability.
- Tackling Illegal Fishing: The surge in illegal, unreported, and unregulated (IUU) fishing is exacerbated by faulty policies, lax enforcement, and harmful fishing subsidies. Tackling IUU fishing requires stricter regulations, improved enforcement, and alternative livelihood options for smaller fishermen.
- India's Indo-Pacific Oceans Initiative: India's Indo-Pacific Oceans Initiative proposes collective solutions to shared maritime challenges, emphasizing maritime ecology, marine resources, capacity building, disaster risk reduction, and maritime connectivity. The initiative's success hinges on improved interoperability, intelligence sharing, and adherence to a regional rules-based order.
- Challenges to Collective Action: Implementing a collaborative maritime strategy faces resistance from states prioritizing sovereignty and strategic independence over collective action. The Global South's diverse interests and political considerations create challenges in reaching consensus on concrete solutions.
Way Forward:
- Adapting to evolving maritime security challenges requires a balance between hard security measures and developmental approaches. Addressing unconventional threats demands collective action, improved law enforcement, and creative solutions that promote prosperity and environmental sustainability. The Global South must navigate its unique political and strategic considerations while fostering regional cooperation to safeguard its maritime domain.
