Delhi Dialogue-XI begins in New Delhi

Delhi Dialogue-XI got underway at Pravasi Bharatiya Kendra in New Delhi yesterday. The theme for this year’s Delhi Dialogue is Advancing Partnership in Indo-Pacific.

In his welcome remarks, Minister of State for External Affairs V Muraleedharan said that this theme is very timely as the Indo- Pacific concept has gathered momentum.

He said that in recent years, nations have recognized that there is a certain inevitability about the Indo-Pacific concept.

He said that the notion of shared maritime space is not new. The Minister added that goods, ideas, and services have been shared by these nations throughout history. Mr



Muraleedharan hoped that the discussions in the Dialogue will yield a rich harvest of ideas.

Delivering the keynote address, Indonesia's Foreign Minister Retno Marsudi said, it is not the time for nations to compete against each other but to collaborate with each other.

She said, promotion for maritime cooperation for ASEAN and India in Indo-Pacific region is not an option but a necessity. She highlighted that both India and ASEAN have common concerns and interests in the shared ocean. The Indonesian Foreign Minister added that both India and ASEAN share the same vision to maintain peace and stability in the region.