Wahyu Dwi Anggoro
IDXChannel - Indonesia has invited India to optimize cooperation in utilizing the great potential in the Indian Ocean in a sustainable manner.
This was conveyed by President Joko Widodo when opening the 20th ASEAN-India Summit held at the Jakarta Convention Center (JCC), Jakarta, Thursday (07/09) morning.
"ASEAN and India cooperation so far has indeed provided real benefits for the people. However, we still need to optimize this collaboration, especially seeing the great potential of the Indian Ocean which connects 33 countries with 2.9 billion people and one-fifth of world GDP in 2025," said the President, as quoted from the Presidential Press, Media and Information Bureau's media release.
The great potential of the Indian Ocean, said the President, can be utilized to encourage the development of the blue economy, food security, maritime connectivity, and sustainable marine energy resources. In line with that, he continued, ASEAN and India need to increase cooperation in tackling various maritime crimes.
"We must also tackle maritime crimes, such as piracy, people smuggling, narcotics, as well as illegal, unregulated, and unreported (IUU) fishing," the President said.
The president added that the sea should be a place for mutual cooperation, not a place for confrontation. The President also called on all parties to jointly maintain stability and peace in the region.
"We must be able to make the ocean a sea of cooperation, not a sea of confrontation, which must continue to be maintained, which must continue to be peaceful, by respecting international law, encouraging habits of cooperation, and building an inclusive regional architecture. This is the key to creating an area that is able to become the epicentrum of growth," he said.
On this occasion, Jokowi also appreciated the presence of Indian Prime Minister (PM) Narendra Modi in the midst of his busy preparation for the G20 Summit on September 9-10.
