Indian Navy Chief to attend Sri Lanka maritime security forum

[Gibbs]

Indian Navy Chief to attend Sri Lanka maritime security forum
Sun, Nov 24, 2013, 01:48 pm SL Time, ColomboPage News Desk, Sri Lanka.

Nov 24, Colombo: Chief of Naval Staff of the Indian Navy, Admiral Devendra Kumar Joshi is scheduled to attend Sri Lanka's maritime security conference "Galle Dialogue 2013", Sri Lanka Navy announced.

"Galle Dialogue 2013", the fourth annual maritime security conference organized by the Sri Lanka Navy under the aegis of the Ministry of Defence, and Urban Development will be held on 25th and 26th November at the Light House Hotel in the historic southern port city of Galle.

"His graceful participation in the international maritime security conference organized by the Sri Lanka Navy under the aegis of the Ministry of Defence is symbolic of the goodwill between the two friendly Navies and the highest regard accorded to the Sri Lanka's initiative in fostering strategic maritime cooperation in the Indian Ocean," the Navy said in a statement.

The two-day conference under the theme "Emerging Maritime Trends in the Indian Ocean" will bring together local and foreign scholars and experts in maritime and naval affairs representing 35 countries to share their views.

The Indian Navy Chief will present a paper on "Emerging Maritime Interests in Asia Pacific: An Indian Perspective" at the Galle Dialogue's first session on 25th.

Admiral Joshi, who took over as the 21st Chief of Naval Staff of the Indian Navy with effect from 31st August 2012, is a specialist in Anti-Submarine Warfare.

Sri Lanka : Indian Navy Chief to attend Sri Lanka maritime security forum

 

[Skyline]

TN people and TN politicians are in sleep?? LOLz

 

[Gibbs]

TN people and TN politicians are in sleep?? LOLz

Must be off for the weekend.. Expect the usual hissy fits come Monday..

 

[Gibbs]

Galle Dialogue 4th edition attracts regional, global naval powers
November 24, 2013, 9:55 pm

By Shamindra Ferdinando


Regional as well as global naval powers are participating in the fourth edition of the Galle Dialogue, scheduled to begin today at the Light House Hotel.


Among the participants are those who had been supportive of Sri Lanka’s war against terror paving the way for the conclusion of the conflict in May 2009.


A record number of 35 countries, including the US, China, Russia, Pakistan, India, Israel, the UK, France, Germany, Canada, Australia, Iran, Indonesia, Japan, South Korea, Malaysia, the Netherlands, South Africa and Vietnam are attending the two-day conference.


Navy spokesperson Commander Kosala Warnakulasooriya told The Island that at the inaugural confab in 2010, there had been only representatives from 11 countries, the following year 19 and last year there were 28.


Commander Warnakulasooriya said: "We are delighted to have about 90 international representatives in Galle. The gradual increase in the number of participants meant the importance of the event inaugurated close on the heels of Sri Lanka’s victory over the LTTE."


Among the participants is Admiral D.K. Joshi, Chief of Naval Staff of the Indian Navy. Admiral Joshi is scheduled to present a paper on Indian perspective on emerging maritime interests in Asia Pacific during the first session on the opening day.


The Galle Dialogue gets underway in the wake of the Sri Lanka Navy earning the appreciation of Australia for taking meaningful measures to stem illegal migration of people to down under. Australian Prime Minister Tony Abbott visited the navy’s flagship SLNS Sayura, formerly of the Indian Navy, at the Colombo Port on the sidelines of the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting (CHOGM) where he announced the gifting of two Bay Class ships to the navy.


Navy Chief Vice Admiral J. S. K. Colombage will deliver the welcome address, while presidential secretary Lalith Weeratunga and Defence Secretary Gotabhaya Rajapaksa too are scheduled to speak.


Fleet Commander of the Royal Australian Navy Rear Admiral Timothy Barrett will discuss ways and means of curbing people smuggling by close cooperation.


Among those scheduled to make presentations included senior representatives from China, Malaysia, Pakistan, France, Iran, Vietnam and the Maldives.


Meanwhile, Navy headquarters said that five ships of Russia’s Pacific Fleet arrived at the Colombo port on Sunday on their way to home port Vladivostok from the Mediterranean. Russian mission commander Captain 1st Rank Maxim S. Alalykin is attending the Galle Dialogue.

The Island

 

[Gibbs]

No need to change SL foreign policy: Gota
MONDAY, 25 NOVEMBER 2013 13:03

With regard to relations with China and India, Sri Lanka said today there was no reason to change its current non-aligned foreign policy.

“China’s support for the Hambantota Port is commercial in nature, and should not be misconstrued as fitting the “String of Pearls” paradigm. Sri Lanka has always pursued a non-aligned foreign policy. We continue to provide logistical and other support to ships including naval vessels or warships belonging any country that call over at our ports. There is no reason for this state of affairs to change in the future,” Defence Secretary Gotabaya Rajapaksa said.

He expressed these views when delivering the keynote address at the ‘Galle Dialogue-2013, which began this morning.

He also said: There is much speculation in the international community about the ambitions of these nations with regard to the Indian Ocean. The intention of both China and India to increase instruments of maritime power is an interesting aspect of great power strategic competition.

Much attention is given to the potential tension between Chinese security concerns regarding sea lines of communication in the Indian Ocean, which are critical to its economy, and India’s supposed attitude to this region as its backyard. There is also wariness about China’s relationships with India’s near neighbours, and Indian commentators in particular are concerned about ports funded by China in these countries, which they dub “the string of pearls”.

From Sri Lanka’s perspective, India is our largest neighbour and the most important country in the region. Notwithstanding occasional bilateral issues, our social, cultural, economic and political ties are both historic and robust. At the same time, it has to be noted that Sri Lanka’s relationship with China also dates back many centuries, into historic times. Sri Lanka recognised the People’s Republic of China in 1950 and formal diplomatic relations between the two nations were established in 1957. This bilateral relationship is multi-faceted and deep rooted.

There is great mutual trust and friendship between the two nations. China has been one of Sri Lanka’s foremost development partners over the last few years, and Chinese support for many infrastructure projects in Sri Lanka is particularly noteworthy. Chinese support for construction of the Hambantota port was instrumental in fulfilling a longstanding need in Sri Lanka to cater to the shipping lines passing south of the island.

No need to change SL foreign policy: Gota

 

[Skyline]

No need to change SL foreign policy: Gota
MONDAY, 25 NOVEMBER 2013 13:03

With regard to relations with China and India, Sri Lanka said today there was no reason to change its current non-aligned foreign policy.

“China’s support for the Hambantota Port is commercial in nature, and should not be misconstrued as fitting the “String of Pearls” paradigm. Sri Lanka has always pursued a non-aligned foreign policy. We continue to provide logistical and other support to ships including naval vessels or warships belonging any country that call over at our ports. There is no reason for this state of affairs to change in the future,” Defence Secretary Gotabaya Rajapaksa said.

He expressed these views when delivering the keynote address at the ‘Galle Dialogue-2013, which began this morning.

He also said: There is much speculation in the international community about the ambitions of these nations with regard to the Indian Ocean. The intention of both China and India to increase instruments of maritime power is an interesting aspect of great power strategic competition.

Much attention is given to the potential tension between Chinese security concerns regarding sea lines of communication in the Indian Ocean, which are critical to its economy, and India’s supposed attitude to this region as its backyard. There is also wariness about China’s relationships with India’s near neighbours, and Indian commentators in particular are concerned about ports funded by China in these countries, which they dub “the string of pearls”.

From Sri Lanka’s perspective, India is our largest neighbour and the most important country in the region. Notwithstanding occasional bilateral issues, our social, cultural, economic and political ties are both historic and robust. At the same time, it has to be noted that Sri Lanka’s relationship with China also dates back many centuries, into historic times. Sri Lanka recognised the People’s Republic of China in 1950 and formal diplomatic relations between the two nations were established in 1957. This bilateral relationship is multi-faceted and deep rooted.

There is great mutual trust and friendship between the two nations. China has been one of Sri Lanka’s foremost development partners over the last few years, and Chinese support for many infrastructure projects in Sri Lanka is particularly noteworthy. Chinese support for construction of the Hambantota port was instrumental in fulfilling a longstanding need in Sri Lanka to cater to the shipping lines passing south of the island.

No need to change SL foreign policy: Gota

Okay Ixxxxxs, Sri Lanka will give refueling facilities to any warship first come first served basis. XD

 

[Contrarian]

Gota is right.

India was being paranoid over China's alleged String of Pearls strategy.
Turns out, it was nothing.

The listening posts that were at Coco Islands turned out to be a fabrication. Myanmar expressly denied that the Island had ever been given to China for a listening post, and the Indian and Myanmar Navy also conducted an exercise beside Coco Islands so that New Delhi gets confident.

Similar for Hambantota port. Initially India thought it was going to be developed as a mixed use naval port, turns out it was completely commercial in nature.

 

[Gibbs]

Gota is right.

India was being paranoid over China's alleged String of Pearls strategy.
Turns out, it was nothing.

The listening posts that were at Coco Islands turned out to be a fabrication. Myanmar expressly denied that the Island had ever been given to China for a listening post, and the Indian and Myanmar Navy also conducted an exercise beside Coco Islands so that New Delhi gets confident.

Similar for Hambantota port. Initially India thought it was going to be developed as a mixed use naval port, turns out it was completely commercial in nature.

I think it's more of a case that India, particularly certain self professed defense analysts there getting caught in the fear mongering by the west lead by the US.. Whatever the overly jingoistic posters here may suggest the fact remains neither India as the regional power nor any of it's neighbors want a antagonistic relationship.. All stakeholders know that a friendly India is needed for their own stability and economic development and India knows a peaceful neighborhood is paramount to their ambitions.. No state will upset that apple cart willingly.. The region has come a long way since the cold war days and Indira Gandhi(imo was a c@nt of misery), Now trade and economic's have presided over politics

 

[Truth Finder]

Indo-SL

 

[RPK]

TN people and TN politicians are in sleep?? LOLz

Everybody should sleep at some-point. Stop obsessed with TN

 

[Azizam]

Everybody should sleep at some-point. Stop obsessed with TN

We are not obsessed with TN but they're obsessed with us

We are more than happy to see them stop being a pain in A@@, then we wouldn't care whether they exist or not.

 

[rio90]

Everybody should sleep at some-point. Stop obsessed with TN

No one in SL cares about TN mate

 

[Gibbs]

Everybody should sleep at some-point. Stop obsessed with TN

Obsessed ?? Lolz yeah right.. Given a choice no Lankan would ever touch TN with a barge pole.. Just that constant whinging,drama and hissyfits from Madrasis is a nuisance and often a source of entertainment for us

Good thing that two sovereign nations SL and India are dealing with these security issues in a fair manner.. Regional extremist idiots and B grade Tamil actors have no part in it

 

[Skyline]

Everybody should sleep at some-point. Stop obsessed with TN

TN jokers make us laugh all the time. LOL

Every time when I search for Sri Lanka updates on Skyscrapercity forum guess who is obsessed with Sri Lanka? Recently I have seen moderator of that Indian TN section warning to TN users do not post Sri Lankan stuff there, if they do he'll delete everything. etc

 

[Sashan]

@Zakii @Oscar - SL threads have remained sane due to the reason some of the Indian members especially one from Tamilnadu do not participate in those as they have seen it is pointless to discuss on topics due to contradictory views and have avoided those. But if there are constant silly posts bordering on trolling especially the ones by this particular member @Gibbs directed at members from Tamilnadu , it is easy for these SL threads to get derailed.