Conclave on global maritime issues gets under way

The first edition of the two-day Trivandrum Dialogue on ‘Importance of Maritime Sphere: Emerging Maritime Issues for India in the Emerging Dynamics of Geopolitics’ began here on Tuesday.

Inaugurating the program, Deputy Admiral Muralidharan (retired), former Director General of the Indian Coast Guard, noted the increasingly central importance of the oceans in national and global strategy and stated that this moment is particularly important for seafarers and maritime professionals.

Reflecting on the historical challenges of life at sea, Mr. Muralidharan recalled that early navigation depended on celestial guidance and uncharted waters. He also traced India’s deep-rooted maritime traditions by quoting the references in this book. Arthashastra to ships, ports and maritime trade; and noted that the country’s long-standing civilizational relationship with global sea lanes extends to regions such as China and Japan.

He also mentioned that India’s maritime sector deteriorated during colonial rule and has gradually revived since the 1970s. He noted that the country’s long coastline and expanding maritime interests make effective maritime protection and management a strategic necessity.

The event is jointly organized by the Central University of Kerala (CUK), Research Institute for Developing Areas (ISDA) and Kerala International Center (KIC).

Delivering the presidential address, former diplomat and KIC director TP Sreenivasan observed that seaside neighborhoods often develop stronger relationships than land borders and added that oceans are emerging as significant areas of opportunity amid the disruption of the existing global order.

He also emphasized the need to preserve strategic autonomy, selective cooperation and multilateralism with the United Nations at its core in the Indian Ocean Region.

CUK School of Global Studies Dean Suresh Rangarajan, ISDA president Mohanan Bhaskaran Pillai and director V. Rajendran Nair also spoke.

Presiding over the general assembly session was Vizhinjam International Seaport Ltd. (VISL) managing director Divya S. Iyer presented the port as a future gateway for global trade, a catalyst for port-driven industrialization and a hub for maritime logistics, coastal and inland trade, tourism integration and fuel services.