India asks Indian Ocean rim nations to start joint projects
June 25th, 2009 - 11:46 pm ICT by IANSNew Delhi, June 25 (IANS) India Thursday urged the Indian Ocean rim countries to identify priority areas and initiate projects for joint cooperation.
This was conveyed by Minister of State for External Affairs Shashi Tharoor at the plenary meeting in Yemen of the council of ministers of Indian Ocean Rim - Association for Regional Cooperation (IOR-ARC), which comprises of 18 member states from South Africa to Australia.
Tharoor said “time is now ripe” for identifying priority areas in academic, business and trade and investment groups.
“They should draw up action plans in priority areas of cooperation and implement them in a time bound-manner,” he said.
He said India had already identified its own nodal ministries and agencies to deal with the various association working groups.
India had three new proposals on agro-meterological advisory service system for enhancing agriculture output, potential fishing zone advisories and forecast demonstration project for tropical cyclones affecting the North Indian Ocean Rim countries, he said.
Tharoor hoped that despite the relative low-profile of the association, this meeting will help to foster more cooperation in different fields.
“I will be candid here and say that I had to explain to a lot of people what this association is all about, when I announced that my first trip abroad after becoming a minister would be to attend this conference.
“I am confident that we will be able to give a concrete shape and direction to the grouping in such a way that in coming years this association starts to touch the lives of people living on the shores of the mighty Indian Ocean,” he said.
- India calls for closer ties among Indian Ocean nations - Oct 27, 2011
- Piracy threat: India to intensify cooperation with Indian Ocean countries - Aug 29, 2009
- India gives $1 mn more to Indian Ocean Rim group fund - Nov 15, 2011
- Bangalore to host Indian Ocean Rim countries meet - Nov 08, 2011
- Tharoor holds policy planning meet on Indian Ocean region - Sep 30, 2009
- Tharoor brainstorms with experts on Indian Ocean strategy - Sep 30, 2009
- India pitches for global strategy to fight piracy - Nov 14, 2011
- Indian Ocean bloc has key role to play: Australia - Nov 14, 2011
- India assumes chair of Indian Ocean Rim grouping (Lead) - Nov 15, 2011
- India provides $250 mn line of credit, $20 mn grant to Mauritius (Lead) - Feb 08, 2012
- Indian Ocean Rim grouping to boost trade - Nov 15, 2011
- Indian Ocean Rim grouping to jointly combat piracy menace (Lead) - Nov 15, 2011
- Oz minister backs India uranium deal, says no to Pakistan - Dec 06, 2011
- US must observe protocol for Indian dignitaries: Krishna - Nov 14, 2011
- Kenya affected by Somalian piracy, wants Indian cooperation - May 13, 2011
Tags: academic business, advisory service, becoming a minister, concrete shape, council of ministers, demonstration project, external affairs, first trip, fishing zone, indian ocean rim, indian ocean rim association, investment groups, low profile, member states, minister of state, priority areas, regional cooperation, tharoor, tropical cyclones, working groups
