While on-going armed conflicts and the applicability of International Humanitarian Law (IHL) are increasingly being discussed at various global fora, 21st century maritime security and the legal framework which governs it is a subject that many feel is not being sufficiently addressed.

This is particularly so because the challenges in this domain are gaining more visibility by the day – with millions of people crossing maritime borders in search of peace, security and a good life.

In order to address the security issues in the maritime domain therefore, a regional seminar was organised by the National Maritime Foundation (NMF) and the ICRC. Titled “Contemporary Challenges in Maritime Security and IHL: Perspective from South Asia,” it brought together serving officers from the Navies and Coast Guard Services of India, Maldives, Sri Lanka and Bangladesh.

Held at the United Service Institution (USI), New Delhi on 27 May 2016, it featured a lead presentation by Shri Rajendra Singh, Director General Indian Coast Guard, and a keynote address by Ms. Mary Werntz, Head of the New Delhi Regional Delegation of the ICRC. Thereafter there were presentations by distinguished panelists that included Dr. Bimal N Patel, Director, Gujarat National Law University, Captain (Dr.) Gurpreet Khurana, Executive Director, National Maritime Foundation, Dr. Sunil Kumar Agarwal, National Security Council Secretariat, Dr. Can Akdogan from the ICRC, Dr. Monika Chansoria, Centre for Land Warfare Studies, and Dr. Vijay Sakhuja, Director, National Maritime Foundation.

Pictures below show the lead presenters and participants at the seminar (©ICRC, Daljeet Singh):