SINGAPORE, Mar 13: Asian nations are building capacities to address emerging challenges for sound maritime governance, which will ensure that seas and oceans are used for legitimate purposes only, a top Indian Coast Guard official said on Friday.
Director General, Indian Coast Guard (ICG), S Paramesh, who is here to attend celebration for the 20th anniversary of the Regional Cooperation Agreement on Combating Piracy and Armed Robbery against Ships in Asia, or ReCAAP, also spoke about the modernisation and expansion of the ICG fleet.
“ICG always believes that the seas and oceans must be used for legitimate purposes to ensure sound ocean governance. And for this philosophy, Asian nations are building capacities to address emerging challenges,” Paramesh told PTI.
“Enough impetus has been given to capacity building by the nations to address the challenges emerging at seas across Asia,” he said at ReCAAP’s 20th anniversary celebrations.
Congratulating ReCAAP on declaring the regional oceans piracy-free, DG Paramesh said, “India, as a founding member, is proud to be a partner of ReCAAP, which ensures that the seas and oceans around us are safe and free.”
He noted that the organisation has been flourishing for over two decades and has been discharging its responsibility in a coordinated and effective manner.
The ICG DG, who is in Singapore since March 11 for the 20th Governing Council Meeting of the ReCAAP Information Sharing Centre (ISC) and then the celebrations, also updated on the modernisation and expansion of the ICG fleet.
Talking about the 33 ships and 9 Advance Light Helicopters currently under construction and the Defence Ministry’s recent approval for the acquisition of an additional six Advance Light Helicopters and eight Dorniers, he said, “All our assets, including vessels, are backed by the latest technologies, including Artificial Intelligence.”
The ICG is currently operating 154 ships and 80 aircraft, guarding India’s 11,098.81 kms of coast and the wider Indian Ocean, as well as participating with friendly nations in exercises and sharing knowledge that the seas are free for managing global trade for the mutual benefit of regional economies.
For 2025, ReCAAP reported 130 sea robbery incidents and 2 piracy incidents in Asia, a 23 per cent increase compared to 107 in 2024.
The two incidents were not serious but were classified as piracy because they happened on the high seas, it said.
Addressing the opening ceremony of ReCAAP’s 20th anniversary, Singapore’s Senior Minister of State for Law and Transport Murali Pillai said the two-decade old ReCAAP is recognised globally as a successful model for addressing piracy and sea robbery.
The ReCAAP community of nations has grown over 20 years from an initial 14 to 21 countries, he noted.
“ReCAAP and its mission remain as relevant today as they were 20 years ago,” added Pillai, expressing concern about how the unfolding situation in West Asia demonstrates how quickly global trade arteries can be disrupted and the wide-ranging implications of such disruptions.
“Here in Asia, we have long understood this reality. With more than 45 per cent of global maritime trade volumes handled in Asia, ReCAAP’s role in promoting safer sea lanes in the region has global significance,” said Pillai.
Earlier, the ICG said Paramesh led a four-member delegation for the 20th Governing Council Meeting in Singapore, reaffirming India’s commitment to strengthening regional cooperation to combat piracy and armed robbery against ships in Asia whilst bolstering overall maritime security.
On the sidelines of the meeting, the DG met Admiral Ronnie Gil Gavan, Commandant of the Philippine Coast Guard and Chairperson of ReCAAP and Executive Director, ReCAAP ISC Vijay D Chafekar, the ICG said in a post on X, adding, “The deliberations focused on piracy trends in the Indo-Pacific, with India reaffirming its unwavering support to ReCAAP towards ensuring safer seas and secure coasts.” (PTI)
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