Dhaka: India on Thursday voiced its strong commitment to the strengthening of the Indian Ocean Rim Association (IORA) to promote peace, security and prosperity in the Indian Ocean Region and in the wider Indo-Pacific.
Minister of State for External Affairs Dr Rajkumar Ranjan Singh said this while participating in the 22nd Council of Ministers’ (COM) meeting of IORA held here.
IORA is the largest and pre-eminent organisation in the Indian Ocean Region with 23 Members and 10 Dialogue Partners.
Singh, who led an Indian delegation, reaffirmed India’s strong commitment to the strengthening of IORA to promote peace, security and prosperity in IOR as well as in the wider Indo-Pacific, the External Affairs ministry said in a statement.
The minister highlighted India’s contributions as coordinator of the IORA priority areas of Disaster Risk Management (DRM) and science, technology and innovation towards capacity building and strengthening of the IORA Secretariat.
“In the face of current global challenges to our climate, food and energy security, the minister highlighted our initiatives of LiFE Lifestyle for Environment and International Year of Millet in 2023,” the statement said.
“The ministers also endorsed India’s candidature for IORA Vice-Chair for the period 2023-25 by consensus. Tomorrow, the Ministers would have a joint call on the Prime Minister of Bangladesh Sheikh Hasina,” it said.
On the sidelines of IORA COM, the minister had a bilateral meeting with State Minister for Foreign Affairs of Somalia Ali Mohamed Omar where the two sides discussed various bilateral and multilateral matters.
Prior to this meeting, the IORA senior officials reviewed the entire range of IORA’s ongoing and future work and activities at the 24th IORA Committee of Senior Officials’ meeting held on 22-23 November.
—PTI

Press Trust of India