First China-Indian Ocean Region Forum: Why without India?

Significance of First China-Indian Ocean Region Forum for UPSC

First China-Indian Ocean Region Forum: First China-Indian Ocean Region Forum is important for the current affairs section of the UPSC prelims exam 2023.
First China-Indian Ocean Region Forum is also a significant issue for UPSC Mains GS 2 Syllabus: India and its Neighborhood, Bilateral Groupings & Agreements, Groupings & Agreements Involving India and/or Affecting India’s Interests.

Why China-Indian Ocean Region Forum in news?

• China recently (November 28, 2022) organized the first high-level China-Indian Ocean Region Forum on Development Cooperation with 19 countries from the region except for India.
• The event was quietly held along with many other events including the 6th China-South Asia expo, and the China-Indian Ocean region think tank forum in a hybrid format in Kunming on November 21, 2022.
• It is a clear picture of China’s continuing quest for a larger presence and role in the strategically important Indian Ocean.

Know about Indian Ocean Region (IOR)

• The IOR broadly defines areas consisting of littoral states of the Indian Ocean.
• Marked by a glaring cultural, social, political and economic diversity, IOR comprises a number of sub-regions, such as Australia, South East Asia, South Asia, Horn of Africa and the Southern and Eastern Africa.
• The IOR littorals house more than one-third of world’s population.
• In addition, more than half of the global seaborne trade and commerce passes through the Indian Ocean out of which, almost 70 per cent goes to countries external to the region.

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How many countries of Indian Ocean Region were present in the forum?

• First China-Indian Ocean Region Forum was hosted by China International Development Cooperation Agency (CIDCA) which according to its website formulates policies and coordinates major foreign aid issues.
• According to a press release issued by CIDCA, high-level representatives of 19 countries, including Indonesia, Pakistan, Myanmar, Sri Lanka, Bangladesh, Maldives, Nepal, Afghanistan, Iran, Oman, South Africa, Kenya, Mozambique, Tanzania, Seychelles, Madagascar, Mauritius, Djibouti, Australia and representatives of three international organizations were present at the hybrid forum.
• However, Australia and Maldives said that they did not participate in the recently held Indian Ocean Region Forum convened by China.
• Moreover, the Chinese Foreign Ministry refused to disclose who were the participants from other countries. Generally, details of participants are disclosed in multilateral engagements.

How Indian Ocean Region (IOR) countries look at India?

• India has been a traditional partner and supporter of Indian Ocean Region (IOR) countries, in addition, to act as a first responder during major crises in the littoral countries.
• It has been regularly engaging with the Indian Ocean littoral countries through such mechanisms as the Indian Ocean Rim Association (IORA) and Indian Ocean Navies Symposium (IONS) under the vision of “Security and Growth for All in the Region (SAGAR)” as propounded by Prime Minister Narendra Modi during a visit to Mauritius in 2015.

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Indo-Pacific Regional Dialogue 2022 (IPRD-2022)

Why India was not invited to the First China-Indian Ocean Region Forum?

Experts says, China’s initiation of a new forum for IOR countries with the name of ”First China-Indian Ocean Region Forum”, despite the other successfully established forums is worrisome and apparently is aimed at countering India’s strong influence in the region. This has highlighted Beijing’s relentless drive for influence over the Indian Ocean region. There could be following wasteful interests of China behind not inviting India:

China’s attempt to challenge India’s traditional presence in the region

• India was not invited to the First China-Indian Ocean Region Forum which is seen by experts as an attempt to challenge India’s traditional presence in the region amid apprehensions of politicization of the Indian Ocean region.

An attempt to ramp up political, economic and security inroads in the IOR

• China is a dialogue partner of the IORA, along with Russia, the US and several European countries.
• In IONS too, which brings together 24 countries in the region, China, which is not an Indian Ocean country, is one among several observers.
• However, China has been relentlessly trying to ramp up political, economic and security inroads in the region despite being geographically far from the Indian Ocean.

Part of China’s expansive Belt and Road Initiative

With China’s prominent role in global supply chains, the vast resource base of the Indian Ocean, and the passage of strategic sea lines of communication through the IOR, the Indian Ocean littoral has gained prominence in the Chinese policy framework and its expansive Belt and Road Initiative.

To safe huge Chinese investments in IOR

• China has made substantial investments in ports and infrastructure investments in several countries, including Pakistan and Sri Lanka.
• Beijing has acquired Sri Lanka’s Hambantota port on a 99-year lease besides building the port at Pakistan’s Gwadar in the Arabian Sea opposite India’s western coast and infrastructure investments in the Maldives.

To fuel China’s Debt Diplomacy

• China has often been accused of engaging in “debt diplomacy” in these countries under its Belt and Road Initiative allegedly in the name of infrastructure development.
• Since 2008, China has regularly deployed a contingent of naval warships in the Gulf of Aden and established its first foreign military base in Djibouti in 2017.

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Conclusion

The changing geopolitical scenario in the Indian Ocean Region (IOR) had led to “international rivalries, competition and clash of interests” and it is important for India to protect its interests in this area. China should also be made aware that the maritime domain is a multilateral construct and a nation “cannot unilaterally decide” in the maritime domain.

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FAQs

Q. Sub regions under Indian Ocean Region are?

Ans. IOR comprises a number of sub-regions, such as Australia, South East Asia, South Asia, Horn of Africa and the Southern and Eastern Africa.

Q. Which country acquired Sri Lanka’s Hambantota port?

Ans. Beijing has acquired Sri Lanka’s Hambantota port on a 99-year lease.

Q. What is the controversy with China-Indian Ocean Region Forum?

Ans. China recently (November 28, 2022) organized the first high-level China-Indian Ocean Region Forum on Development Cooperation with 19 countries from the region except for India which clearly shows China’s continuing quest for a larger presence and role in the strategically important Indian Ocean.

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