By ANI

NEW DELHI: India and the European Union on Tuesday held their second maritime safety dialogue in a digital format, throughout which either side dedicated to a free, open, inclusive, and rules-based maritime order within the Indo-Pacific area.

The Ministry of Exterior Affairs (MEA) stated in a launch stated the consultations included developments within the maritime safety surroundings, coverage developments protecting the EU technique for cooperation within the Indo-Pacific and India’s Indo-Pacific Oceans’ Initiative, India-EU maritime cooperation, and regional initiatives to deal with worldwide maritime safety points.

India and the EU mentioned cooperation, together with within the discipline of maritime area consciousness, capacity-building, and joint naval actions, following their profitable joint naval train within the Gulf of Aden in June 2021, the discharge stated.

“India and the EU are dedicated to a free, open, inclusive and rules-based maritime order within the Indo-Pacific area, underpinned by respect for territorial integrity and sovereignty, democracy, rule of regulation, freedom of navigation and overflight, unimpeded lawful commerce, and peaceable decision of disputes in accordance with worldwide regulation, notably the United Nations Conference on Legislation of the Sea (UNCLOS),” the MEA stated.

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The assembly was co-chaired by Sandeep Arya, Joint Secretary for Disarmament and Worldwide Safety Affairs at Ministry of Exterior Affairs, India, and Joanneke Balfoort, Director for Safety and Defence Coverage on the European Exterior Motion Service.