Page 25 - Indo-Pacific Oceans Initiative (IPOI) 2021
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DIALOGUES AND DELIBERATIONS ON NAVAL
CONFIDENCE BUILDING MEASURES (NCBMS) AND
INCIDENTS AT SEA AGREEMENTS (INCSEA)
An error of judgement or a wrongly existing measures and agreements,
interpreted action can often turn as well as ongoing endeavours, like
avoidable situations into the the South China Sea Code of Conduct,
starting point of a conflict. Hence, to as redundant mechanisms. This is
avoid conflict, adversarial nations affecting maritime safety, stability and
often resort to confidence building security of the Indo-Pacific. Amongst
measures and various agreements, the initiatives taken to address these
such as the US-USSR Incidents at Sea three aspects is India’s ‘Indo-Pacific
Agreement and the Western Pacific Oceans Initiative’ (IPOI), which looks
Naval Symposium’s (WPNS) Code for at establishing a safe, secure and stable
Unplanned Encounters at Sea (CUES). Indo-Pacific maritime domain through
This serves two purposes: firstly, to a cooperative approach. Amongst the
reduce the possibility of conflict, and seven pillars, India is willing to take
secondly enhance regional stability. the lead on two pillars—Maritime
The effectiveness of such measures and Security and Disaster Risk Reduction
agreements depends on the existent and Management—while Australia
balance of power and absence of a and Japan have taken the lead on
dynamic power transition. The Indo- Maritime Resources, and Trade
Pacific, which encompasses a large Connectivity and Maritime Transport,
maritime swath comprising a number respectively. The paper will analyse
of hotspots, is witnessing competition select NCBMs and Incidents at Sea
and conflict in many fields. This is Agreements and seek to posit IPOI
the resultant of the ongoing dynamic as a cooperative base to drive Indo-
power transition which is impacting Pacific maritime confidence building
the existing balance of power. These measures and associated incidents at
two aspects are slowly bookmarking sea agreements.
3 September 2021 | Sapru House, New Delhi 25
