“The combination of overwhelming seapower with overwhelming landpower can alone bring so vast an enterprise into the domain of real possibility.”

Sri Aurobindo

(The Human Cycle -The Ideal of Human Unity-War and Self-Determination)

On the occasion of the Water Festival, AuroBharati, Sri Aurobindo Society in collaboration with Svarnim Puducherry & Pondicherry University organized a special lecture on the topic ‘INDIA FROM MARITIME PERSPECTIVES’ on 20th February 2023 at Sri Aurobindo Society, Puducherry.

Dr. Kishor Kumar Tripathy, Member Secretary, AuroBharati, Sri Aurobindo Society said about the importance of Indian in Maritime Perspectives on the special occasion of the completion of 75th Anniversary of India’s Independence, 150th Birth Anniversary of Sri Aurobindo and more specifically India’s Presidency in G20 based on One Earth, One Family and one Future. He further said that there is a strong linkage between human development and the seas, which connects people, cultures and civilizations leading to Sustainability. He mentioned the vision of Sri Aurobindo on how seapower and land power can be an important tool for sustainable development.  ‘The combination of overwhelming seapower with overwhelming landpower can alone bring such vast an enterprise into the domain of real possibility.’

Dr. Ragunath T.P., Director, Svarnim Puducherry, Sri Aurobindo Society spoke about the Fourth edition of  Water Fest-Stewardship for Water and Biodiversity , a seven-week long festival directed towards water management and protecting water resources. He further mentioned the objectives of the water festival to celebrate our deep connection with Water and build a culture of collaboration and shared responsibility for an integrated management of water resources. He mentioned the important initiatives undertaken through this journey including All for Water for All (A4W4A), Neer Kudam Yatra, One School One Pond (OSOP) and community programs. He mentioned about the bio-region of Pondicherry-Villupuram-Auroville-Cuddalore (PVAC) and is being organized by ‘All For Water For All’ (A4W4A).

Speaking on the occasion, Prof. Adluri  Subramanyam Raju, Dean of International Relations, Professor & Head of the UNESCO Madanjeet Singh Institute for South Asia Regional Cooperation & South Asian Studies, Pondicherry University said that Sea is seen: as a resource, as a means of transportation, information and connecting people & states around the world. Prof. Aduluri highlighted India’s presidency in G20 and the message of India including Vasudhaiva Kutumbakam for global Unity and development. India has gained recognition as an open maritime front leading the Presidency in G20. He mentioned Sri Aurobindo’s vision of Vasudhaiva Kutumbakam by uniting the seapower and land power for sustainable development.

Emphasizing the current scenario, he said that the 21st Century has been called the century of the Seas and Oceans represent a new economic frontier for growth, development and investment. He further emphasized that India can be a  global leader in several coastal and marine industries-transitioning from an ocean economy to a blue economy. India cannot become an economic power unless it becomes a Maritime Power. There is link between maritime power and blu economy

Dr. Aduluri spoke about Maritimisation of the World, Indian Maritime History,India and maritime, India’s Maritime Profile, Maritime Jurisdictions Zones, Andaman & Nicobar by giving important examples of India’s exclusive economic zone area. He further emphasized important issues related to Indoi-Pacific including Indo-Pacific architecture, Quadrilateral Security

Dialogue (QSD), QUAD: India, US, Australia and Japan-democracies and maritime countries, QUAD & India.  Speaking on Climate Change and Rise of Sea Level, he said that Due to the impact of climate change, it is expected that the sea level will rise and coastal fishery and agriculture are likely to be affected. He suggested that Coastal and Island developing countries initiated the blue economy debate as a sustainable development strategy. He emphasized on the Blue Economy Sector including Fisheries,Shipping, Coastal Tourism, Offshore Oil and Gas, Ferry Services, Inland Waterways Transport, Coastal Protection, Offshore Energy/Blue Energy, Monitoring and Surveillance, Marine Biotechnology, Desalination and Marine Mining. He referred to important projects including Project Mausam, Sagarmala Project and SAGAR. Dr. Aduluri also spoke about maritime and spatial planning, Blue cluster and Smart Oceans/Smart Industries for the development of maritime sustainability.

Dr. Aduluri concluded his presentation with a message of Sri Aurobindo ‘the seapower and land power’ and India’s rome in G20. He said that India has demonstrated  its role and is seen as a security provider by others. The slogan Sabka Saath Sabka Vikas, which translates as ‘Collective Effort and Inclusive Growth’ has been the Prime Minister’s clarion call for India’s national development agenda. Important discussions on India’s Maritime Relations, Initiatives by the Government of India and development of Maritime Security were held during the presentation.

About the Speaker:

Adluri  Subramanyam Raju is Dean of International Relations, Professor & Head of the UNESCO Madanjeet Singh Institute for South Asia Regional Cooperation & South Asian Studies; Coordinator of UNESCO Goodwill Ambassador Madanjeet Singh Chair & UGC Centre for Maritime Studies, Pondicherry University, Pondicherry. He was instrumental in establishing the Centre for Maritime Studies. He was the recipient of the Mahbub Ul Haq Award (Regional Centre for Strategic Studies (RCSS), Colombo, 2003); Scholar of Peace Award (WISCOMP, New Delhi, 2002) and Kodikara Award (RCSS, Colombo, 1998). He was Salzburg Seminar Fellow (2006). He received the National Best Teacher Award (C.V.S.KrishnamurthyTheja Charities, Tirupati, 2017) and Best Teacher Award twice (Pondicherry University, 2013 & 2018).  He was a Visiting Fellow at the Bandaranaike Centre for International Studies, Colombo, May 2012. He is a member of Third Task Force on Blue Economy, FICCI, New Delhi. He is an Honorary Adjunct Fellow at National Maritime Foundation (NMF), New Delhi. He is on the editorial board for seven journals. He has published 26 books and fifty two papers; delivered fifty lectures and presented ninety three papers at national and international conferences/seminars. His forthcoming publications include: Authored: Governance and Poverty in South Asia: A Study with reference to India, Bangladesh and Nepal & Emerging India: Maritime Perspective; (Co-editor), Routledge Handbook of South Asia: Political, Economic and Strategic Transitions.  He is currently working on a book project titled French Presence in the Western Indian Ocean Region, funded by the Indian Council of World Affairs, New Delhi.