Trilateral talks to check China
India begins trilateral talks to check China
Jayanth Jacob, Hindustan Times
New Delhi, December 20, 2011
India, Sri Lanka and Maldives have formed a trilateral dialogue on maritime security at the national security adviser (NSA) level in the backdrop of China expanding its footprint in the Indian Ocean region.
The dialogue — an idea first mooted by Maldives — will deal with issues of
maritime security, piracy, ensuring safety and security of sea-lanes, sharing of best practices and disaster management, senior government officials told the Hindustan Times.
Far from the glare, the first meeting was held in Maldives last month and the next edition will be held in January next year.
“India, Maldives, and Sri Lanka have such dialogue bilaterally. Now, we are bringing together the synergies to make it a trilateral format,” said an official, adding that the Indian Ocean was vital for the “safety, security and economic well-being of the three countries”.
China has been developing port facilities in Pakistan, Bangladesh, Sri Lanka and Myanmar. Strategic reasons apart, for China these ….[Click here to continue reading]
