Table of Contents
The Meeting
On February 9th, the Honourable External Affairs Minister, S Jaishankar, had a meeting with his Australian counterpart, Senator Penny Wong. The two dignitaries discussed various regional and global topics, including the bilateral comprehensive strategic partnership, the Indo-Pacific region, and the situation in West Asia. Mr. Jaishankar is currently in Perth, Australia, to attend a two-day conference on the Indian Ocean which starts on Friday.
The Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) has issued a statement on Thursday announcing the seventh edition of the conference, which is scheduled to take place in Perth on February 9 and 10. The conference is being held in collaboration with the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade of the Australian government, Singapore’s S Rajaratnam School of International Studies, and Perth-US Asia Centre. This announcement was made ahead of External Affairs Minister Jaishankar’s upcoming visit to the Australian city.
The Indian Ocean Conference
The ‘Indian Ocean Conference’ is a flagship consultative forum for countries in the region, held annually by the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) in association with the India Foundation. The conference aims to bring countries and principal maritime partners in the region together on a common platform to deliberate upon the prospects of regional cooperation for Security and Growth for All in the Region (SAGAR).
The seventh edition of the conference is scheduled to take place in Perth, Australia, on February 9 and 10, in association with the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade of the Australian government, Singapore’s S Rajaratnam School of International Studies, and Perth-U.S. Asia Centre. The theme of this year’s conference is “Towards a Stable and Sustainable Indian Ocean”.
The conference will bring together delegations led by Ministers from over 22 countries and senior officials from 16 countries and six multilateral organizations. In addition, over 400 social and corporate leaders, policy practitioners, scholars, professionals, and media personnel from about 40 countries will also be in attendance.
Since its debut in 2016 in Singapore, the Indian Ocean Conference has played an important role in promoting regional cooperation, and has become an integral platform for dialogue, exchange of ideas, and building partnerships.
The conference provides a unique opportunity to deliberate on the challenges and opportunities in the region and to explore ways in which countries can work together to address common concerns and achieve shared objectives. By bringing together a diverse group of stakeholders, the conference provides a forum for collaboration and provides a platform for the exchange of knowledge and best practices.
Overall, the Indian Ocean Conference is an important event for the region, and it is expected that the seventh edition of the conference will provide valuable insights and recommendations for promoting regional cooperation, stability, and sustainability.
