Indian External Affairs Minister Dr. S. Jaishankar addressed the 23rd Meeting of the Indian Ocean Rim Association (IORA) Council of Ministers in Colombo on 11 October. 

During this meeting, India took on the role of Vice-Chair, affirming its commitment to fostering regional cooperation and development.

In his speech, Dr. Jaishankar congratulated Sri Lanka for assuming the Chairship of IORA for 2023-25 and expressed appreciation for Bangladesh’s leadership in the previous term. 

The trio, including India, is set to collaborate closely to promote prosperity and an open, inclusive Indian Ocean based on the UN Convention on the Law of the Seas.

Dr. Jaishankar noted that India’s approach, rooted in principles of peaceful coexistence, shared prosperity, and regional collaboration, aims to address development challenges in the maritime economy, resources, connectivity, and security. 

Dr. Jaishankar highlighted the importance of addressing hidden agendas, unviable projects, and unsustainable debt to ensure sustainable growth in the region.

Dr. Jaishankar also emphasised India’s commitment to addressing key concerns of the Global South, particularly women-led development, technology democratization, and environmental sustainability. 

Dr. Jaishankar stressed the importance of initiatives like the International Solar Alliance (ISA) and the Coalition for Disaster Resilient Infrastructure (CDRI) for the well-being of IORA member states.

According to Dr. Jaishankar, as Vice-Chair, India will focus on consolidating and streamlining cooperation in areas such as maritime safety and security and the blue economy, aiming to strengthen regional identity and prosperity among IORA member states and partners