Minister of State for External Affairs and Education, Rajkumar Ranjan Singh reaffirmed India's commitment to the strengthening Indian Ocean Rim Association (IORA) to promote peace, security and prosperity in IOR as well as in the wider Indo-Pacific at the 22nd Indian Ocean Rim Association (IORA) Council of Ministers' Meeting, according to the Ministry of External Affairs.
The MoS made the remarks in Dhaka where India participated in the 22nd Council of Ministers' (COM) meeting of the Indian Ocean Rim Association (IORA) was held and Ranjan led the Indian delegation, according to a release by the Ministry of External Affairs.
The meeting took place in Dhaka, Bangladesh on Thursday. Notably, IORA is the largest and pre-eminent organization in the Indian Ocean Region with 23 Members and 10 Dialogue Partners. MoS, in his remarks, reaffirmed India's strong commitment to the strengthening of IORA to promote peace, security and prosperity in IOR as well as in the wider Indo-Pacific.
He further highlighted India's contributions as coordinator of the IORA priority areas of Disaster Risk Management (DRM) and Science, Technology & Innovation towards capacity building and strengthening of the IORA Secretariat.
According to official release of MEA, India is setting up an eOffice at the IORA Secretariat. MoS also announced the provision of e-subscription by India to Mahatma Gandhi Library at IORA Secretariat.
The COM adopted the 'IORA's Outlook on the Indo-Pacific' (IOIP) which would guide the enhancement of IORA's engagement in the Indo-Pacific region. India led the process of development of the IOIP. Dhaka Communique was adopted as the Outcome Document of the 22nd COM Meeting.
The Ministers also endorsed India's candidature for IORA Vice-Chair for the period 2023-25 by consensus. Tomorrow the Ministers would have a joint call on the Prime Minister of Bangladesh Sheikh Hasina. On the sidelines of IORA COM, MOS had a bilateral meeting with the State Minister for Foreign Affairs of Somalia, HE Ali Mohamed Omar where the two sides discussed various bilateral and multilateral matters.
Prior to this meeting, the IORA Senior Officials reviewed the entire range of IORA's ongoing and future work and activities at the 24th IORA Committee of Senior Officials' meeting held on November 22-23, the press release added.
( With inputs from ANI )
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