'Might is Right' approach has no place in maritime domain: Rajnath Singh at Goa conclave

New Delhi: 'Might is right' approach bore no place in maritime domain and fair rules of engagement were crucial for ensuring that no single country dominates others, Defence Minister Rajnath Singh said on Monday in an oblique reference to China's aggressive muscle-flexing in the Indo-Pacific.

Addressing the Goa Maritime conclave, the minister said that "narrow immediate" interests might tempt nations to flout or disregard the well-established international law, but doing so would lead to the breakdown of civilised maritime relations.

"A free, open and rule-based maritime order is a priority for all of us. ‘Might is right’ has no place in such a maritime order. Adherence to international laws and agreements must be our lodestar," he said at the Indian Navy’s biennial summit, being attended by 12 nations.

The Indian Ocean littorals attending the conclave are Bangladesh, Comoros, Indonesia, Madagascar, Malaysia, Maldives, Mauritius, Myanmar, Seychelles, Singapore, Sri Lanka, and Thailand.

The discussions between Asian naval powers happens days after the publication of the US Department of Defense’s latest annual report in which officials maintained that China's People's Liberation Army Navy would continue to develop into a global force, gradually extending its operational reach beyond East Asia into a sustained ability to operate at increasingly longer ranges, including a continuous presence in the Gulf of Aden.

The expansion of naval operations beyond China’s immediate region, according to the Pentagon report, will facilitate its non-war military activities and further legitimise China’s growing global military posture, including at its base in Djibouti.

“Our narrow immediate interests may tempt us to flout or disregard the well-established international law, but doing so would lead to the breakdown of our civilised maritime relations,” Singh said in a veiled reference to China, which is locked in multiple disputes on the South China Sea.

The South China Sea plays a key role in security considerations across East Asia because Northeast Asia relies heavily on the flow of oil and commerce through its shipping lanes, including more than 80% of the crude oil to Japan, South Korea, and Taiwan.

“Our common security and prosperity cannot be preserved without all of us committing to cooperatively adhering to the legitimate maritime rules of engagement. Fair rules of engagement are crucial for fostering collaboration and ensuring that no single country dominates others in a hegemonic manner,” Singh noted.

The Goa Maritime Conclave being held under the aegis of the Naval War College seeks to identify gaps in regulatory and legal Frameworks for achieving maritime security in the Indian Ocean region besides formulating a common multilateral maritime strategy and operating protocols for collective mitigation of maritime threats.