Indian Coast Guard Chief Joins Global Maritime Leaders at 3rd Summit in Japan

Director General Rakesh Pal, the head of the Indian Coast Guard, played a significant role in the 3rd Coast Guard Global Summit held in Tokyo, Japan, on Tuesday. The summit’s primary objective was to uphold and promote international maritime order and cooperation.

During the summit’s inaugural session, Director General Rakesh Pal had the opportunity to engage with the Prime Minister of Japan, Fumio Kishida. The Indian Coast Guard shared this interaction on their social media, stating, “DG Rakesh Pal, PTM, TM, Director General @IndiaCoastGuard participated in the 3rd Coast Guard Global Summit #CGGS at #Tokyo, #Japan. During the inaugural summit, the Director General interacted with the Hon’ble Prime Minister of Japan Mr Fumio Kishida.”

The summit’s overarching aim is to enhance collaboration and cooperation among coastguards globally in addressing various maritime challenges. These challenges encompass aspects such as maritime law, safety, security of life at sea, marine environment protection, illicit drug trafficking, weapon smuggling, and other maritime crimes that transgress international borders.

In recent years, the need for a coordinated, global approach to maritime challenges has become increasingly evident. Within this context, the Japan Coast Guard introduced the concept of “Interregional Cooperation” to facilitate synergy and cooperation among Coast Guard agencies and organizations worldwide.

Earlier this year, the Indian Navy hosted the 7th edition of the Japan-India Maritime Exercise 2023 (JIMEX 23) in the Bay of Bengal, concluding on July 11. This exercise witnessed complex joint maneuvers by the Indian and Japanese navies, covering a wide spectrum of maritime warfare, including surface, subsurface, and air domains. Fighter aircraft, maritime patrol aircraft, and submarines also participated in this exercise.

The India-Japan relationship has evolved into a partnership with substantial depth and purpose, according to the Ministry of External Affairs. During the G20 Summit, Prime Minister Narendra Modi met with his Japanese counterpart, Fumio Kishida, reaffirming their commitment to enhancing India-Japan cooperation in areas such as connectivity and commerce.