Towards Greater ‘Blue Economy’ Cooperation in the Indo-Pacific

This discussion will take place from 5:30 p.m. IST. Blue economy and oceans’ governance have come to dominate the economic and security agendas of many nations in the Indo-Pacific region. Long an important source of food and economic development, the oceans are today perceived as a vital component of a connected global ecosystem. Increasingly, regional governments are recognising the oceans’ vital contribution to national and regional prosperity. Blue economy is however less subject to international cooperations than maritime security whereas oceans are common goods. How two paths, namely the “strategy/security” and “development/economic” can be brought closer together, particularly around topics of common interest in the fight against climate change and the preservation of biodiversity? How can India and Europe leverage their convergence in this vital domain? The discussions would seek to identify the “nexus” between security and development in the Indo-Pacific’s littorals.