India and Italy search to enhance ship-tracking cooperation in Indian Ocean to counter China
NEW DELHI : India and Italy are in talks to enhance information-sharing arrangements between the two nations, with special emphasis on the Trans Regional Maritime Network (T-RMN), of which New Delhi became a member in 2018. The aim is to seek details of ships ferrying through the Indian Ocean Region, which is increasingly witnessing domination by Chinese vessels.
India is one of the 30 members of T-RMN, steered by Italy.
During his two-day visit to Rome, which concluded on April 15, Defence Secretary Rajesh Kumar Singh co-chaired the 11th India-Italy Annual Bilateral Joint Defence Committee Meeting with his Italian counterpart, Secretary General of Defence Luisa Riccardi.
They discussed a wide range of defence, security, and industrial cooperation issues, including maritime cooperation and information-sharing arrangements between India and Italy, with emphasis on T-RMN, said the Ministry of Defence.
The exchange of information through T-RMN occurs via the maritime traffic monitoring systems of each member country within the system. The information is shared mutually among the signatory countries to ensure a pre-emptive and prompt response to any exigency.
The situation in the Red Sea and the Western Indian Ocean Region also came up during the discussions between Singh and Riccardi.
His visit began with Singh calling on Italy’s Defence Minister, Guido Crosetto. The two sides held productive discussions aimed at further enhancing defence cooperation as a key pillar of the India-Italy strategic partnership.
The Defence Secretary emphasised the need for closer defence collaboration, particularly in technology and armament production, which is a priority area for India.
He also highlighted that the Government of India is proactively building an ecosystem for defence production and innovation within the country through deliberate policy initiatives. India has developed a vibrant innovation and industrial ecosystem, he informed the Italians.
In his keynote address during the India-Italy Defence Industry Roundtable, the Defence Secretary shared his views on how the Indian defence industry has witnessed significant changes, particularly in the past few years, through progressive reforms.
These reforms, the Secretary stated, have been marked by the creation of a conducive environment for the growth of the Indian industry through transparency, predictability, and ease of doing business.
A key highlight of the visit was the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) between the Society of Indian Defence Manufacturers (SIDM) and its Italian counterpart, AIAD, marking a significant step towards fostering closer cooperation between the defence industries of both nations.
The MoU seeks to promote sustained engagement, encourage joint ventures, facilitate technology partnerships, and boost industrial collaboration between Indian and Italian defence companies.