4th edition of Indo-Pacific Regional Dialogue to begin in Delhi from Wednesday

The fourth edition of the Indo-Pacific Regional Dialogue (IPRD), an apex-level international annual conference of the Indian Navy, is all set to begin here from Wednesday.

The IPRD seeks to foster exchange of ideas and promote deliberations on regionally relevant maritime issues.

The theme of IPRD-2022 is ''Operationalising the Indo-Pacific Oceans Initiative (IPOI)'', which was articulated by Prime Minister Narendra Modi at the 14th East Asia Summit (EAS) in Bangkok on November 4, 2019, the defence ministry said in a statement.

The IPRD is an apex-level international annual conference of the Navy and the principal manifestation of the Navy's engagement at the strategic level.

The National Maritime Foundation (NMF) is the Navy's knowledge partner and chief organiser of each edition of the event.

''Being a Track 1.5 event that aims to encourage discussions on public policy, the IPRD endeavours for a balanced representation from government and non-government agencies and institutions. The first two editions of IPRD were held in 2018 and 2019 respectively at New Delhi,'' the statement said.

IPRD 2020 was cancelled due to the outbreak of COVID-19. The third edition of the IPRD was held online in 2021.

''The aim of each successive edition of the IPRD is to review both opportunities and challenges that arise within the Indo-Pacific. Through this annual dialogue, the Indian Navy and the NMF continue to provide a platform for incisive discussions pertaining to the geopolitical developments affecting the maritime domain of the Indo-Pacific,'' the statement said.

The fourth edition of the IPRD is scheduled to be held from November 23 to 25.

The IPOI (Indo-Pacific Oceans Initiative) is a comprehensive and inclusive construct for regional cooperation that is focused on seven interconnected spokes or pillars -- maritime security, maritime ecology, maritime resources, disaster risk-reduction and management, trade connectivity and maritime transport, capacity building and resource sharing, and science, technology and academic cooperation.

Being the lead maritime security agency of the government, the Indian Navy is deeply invested in the actualisation of each of the seven spokes or pillars of the IPOI. IPRD-2022 is appropriately centred upon the IPOI and its operationalisation, with a particular but not exclusive focus on the pillars of ''maritime security'', the statement said.

IPRD-2022 will be conducted in the physical format, through six professional sessions spread over the three days.

As part of the event, globally renowned speakers and eminent panellists will explore how the areas of maritime cooperation envisaged in the IPOI could be optimally and inclusively operationalised, the statement added.

(This story has not been edited by Devdiscourse staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)