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Now, India seeks to expand its sphere of influence into South China Sea
BY S VENKAT NARAYAN,
Our Special Correspondent
NEW DELHI, April 17:
India’s neighbourhood stretches beyond the Straits of Malacca in the east and the Gulf of Aden in the west. But the Indo-Pacific concept overcomes artificial fault-lines imposed in the post-World War II era, External Affairs Minister Dr Subrahmanyam Jaishankar said here on Wednesday.
The minister’s formulation expands India’s intended sphere of influence into the South China Sea as a theatre of Indian foreign policy.
In a trilateral discussion with French Foreign Minister Jean-Yves Le Drian and Australian Foreign Minister Marise Payne at the Raisina Dialogue, Jaishankar described India’s new view of its role as a “return to history.” This places the country’s neighbourhood across a greater swathe of the globe, he added.
Jaishankar’s remarks signal a desire to break out of India’s own definition of its ‘strategic backyard’ or extended neighbourhood that former Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee had articulated back in 2000: of stretching between the Straits of Malacca and the Gulf of Aden.
The formulation, though presented in terms of historical connections, is likely to raise a few eyebrows in Beijing. China not only sees its immediate neighbourhood, but the entire Asia-Pacific, as its strategic zone.
Jaishankar pointed out that global multilateral regimes are not delivering, security alliances do not always work and bilateral relationships are falling short. In other words, the present system of global governance may have outlived its usefulness.
What he left unsaid is that the rise of China, India and other powers as well as the relative decline of the West has placed strains on the multilateral system, and it is important to rewrite it to reflect current realities.
Jaishankar said the world is moving to plurilaterals or mini laterals: smaller groups coming together with shared interests, shared goals and natural complementarities in their structures like the Quad, the four-nation compact comprising India, the US, Japan and Australia.
“Multilateralism has fallen short. And bilateral delivery is not what it used to be. World moving towards multipolarity, rebalancing and plurilateralism. Shared values and comforts are creating new combinations. Will not fall for mind games,” he tweeted.
The three ministers were to hold an in-person trilateral dialogue on the side-lines of the Raisina Dialogue. But that was postponed because the conclave went virtual in the light of India’s steep Covid-19 surge.
While France is not a member of the Quad, the India-France-Australia trilateral is an extension of the Quad, given that France is a big player in the Indo-Pacific, as a resident power, with territories in its control.
Answering a question on the importance of Indo-Pacific, Jaishankar said it is a historical reality in a more seamless world, as evidenced by the old trading routes that stretched from the western Pacific to the Mediterranean.
“Indo-Pacific is a strong message. India will not be boxed between Malacca Strait and the Gulf of Aden. Our interests and activities go way beyond. Australia and France are part of that canvas. It’s a return to history,” he declared.
“What broke this were empires and the politics of post-World War II. Today, because of rebalancing and multipolarity, they are all coming back together,” he added.
Emphasising the centrality of the 10-member Association of South East Asian Nations (ASEAN) in the Indo-Pacific, Jaishankar pushed back against the Chinese accusation of the Quad as an Asian NATO (North Atlantic Treaty Organisation).
In the past few meetings, he said, Quad discussions focused on climate, Humanitarian Assistance and Disaster Relief (HADR), vaccines, resilient supply chains, emerging technologies and maritime security.
The U.S. Embassy in Colombo welcomed the U.S. Sports Envoys to Sri Lanka, former National Basketball Association (NBA) and Women’s National Basketball Association (WNBA) players Stephen Howard and Astou Ndiaye, from June 8 through 14.
The Public Diplomacy section of the U.S. Embassy said that it would launch a weeklong basketball program intended to harness the unifying power of sports, made possible through collaboration with Foundation of Goodness and IImpact Hoop Lab.
While in Sri Lanka, Howard and Ndiaye, both retired professional basketball players, will conduct a weeklong program, Hoops for Hope: Bridging Borders through Basketball. The Sports Envoys will lead basketball clinics and exhibition matches and engage in leadership sessions in Colombo and Southern Province for youth aged 14-18 from Northern, Uva, Eastern and Western Provinces, offering skills and leadership training both on and off the court. The U.S. Envoys will also share their expertise with the Sri Lanka Basketball Federation, national coaches, and players, furthering the development of basketball in the country. Beyond the clinics, they will collaborate with Sri Lankan schoolchildren to take part in a community service project in the Colombo area.
“We are so proud to welcome Stephen and Astou as our Sports Envoys to Sri Lanka, to build on the strong people-to-people connections between the United States and Sri Lanka,” said U.S. Ambassador Julie Chung. “The lessons that will be shared by our Sports Envoys – communication, teamwork, resilience, inclusion, and conflict resolution – are essential for leadership development, community building, equality, and peace. The U.S. Sports Envoy program is a testament to our belief that sports can be a powerful tool in promoting peace and unity.”
SJB Colombo District MP Mujibur Rahuman in parliament demanded to know from the government the reasons for CEB suspending the leave of all its employees until further notice from Thursday.
MP Rahuman said that the CEB has got an acting General Manager anew and the latter yesterday morning issued a circular suspending leave of all CEB employees with immediate effect until further notice.
“We demand that Minister Kanchana Wijesekera should explain this to the House. This circular was issued while this debate on the new Electricity Amendment Bill was pending. There are many who oppose this Bill. The Minister must tell parliament the reason for the urge to cancel the leave of CEB employees,” the MP said.However, Speaker Mahinda Yapa Abeywardena prevented Minister Wijesekera responding to the query and said that the matter raised by MP Rahuman was not relevant.
The Chartered Institute of Personnel Management (CIPM) successfully concluded the 8th Annual CIPM Symposium, which took place on 31st May 2024. Themed “Nurturing the Human Element—Redefining HRM in a Rapidly Changing World,” the symposium underscored the pivotal role of human resource management (HRM) in today’s dynamic global landscape. Since its inception in 1959, CIPM has been dedicated to advancing the HR profession through education, professional development, and advocacy, solidifying its position as Sri Lanka’s leading professional body for HRM.
Ken Vijayakumar, the President of the CIPM, graced the occasion as the chief guest. The symposium commenced with the welcome address by the Chairperson, Prof. Arosha Adikaram, followed by the Web Launch of the Symposium Proceedings and Abstract Book by the CIPM President. The event featured distinguished addresses, including a speech by Chief Guest Ken Vijayakumar, President of CIPM, and an address by Guest of Honor Shakthi Ranatunga, Chief Operating Officer of MAS Holdings Pvt. Ltd., Sri Lanka.
The symposium also featured an inspiring keynote address by Prof. Mario Fernando, Professor of Management and Director of the Centre for Cross Cultural Management (CCCM) at the University of Wollongong, Australia.
Vote of Thanks of the inauguration session was delivered by Dr. Dillanjani Weeratunga, Symposium Co-chair.
The symposium served as a comprehensive platform for researchers to present their findings across a wide range of critical topics in HRM. These included Cultural Diversity and Inclusion, Talent Development and Retention, Ethical Leadership and Corporate Social Responsibility, Adapting to Technological Advancements, Mental Health and Well-being at Work, Global Workforce Challenges, Employee Empowerment, and Reskilling and Upskilling.
The plenary session was led by Prof. Wasantha Rajapakse. Certificates were awarded to the best paper presenters during the valedictory session, followed by a vote of thanks delivered by Kamani Perera, Manager of Research and Development.
The annual symposium of CIPM was a truly inclusive event, attracting a diverse audience that spanned undergraduates, graduates, working professionals, research scholars and lecturers. This widespread interest highlights the symposium’s significance in the field of HRM, offering a unique opportunity for everyone to network and learn from scholarly brains.The CIPM International Research Symposium was sponsored by Hambantota International Port, Sri Lanka Institute of Information Technology (SLIIT), E B Creasy & Co. PLC, and Print Xcel Company.
US sports envoys to Lanka to champion youth development
Rahuman questions sudden cancellation of leave of CEB employees
