Rajnath Singh calls for an open and rule based maritime border at the 18th Heads of Asian Coast Guard Agencies Meeting 2022

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Addressing the 18th Heads of Asian Coast Guard Agencies Meeting (HACGAM) in New Delhi on October 15, 2022, Defence minister Rajnath Singh reaffirmed India’s resolve for open, free and rule-based maritime borders in the Indo-Pacific region.

Organiser of the 18th HACGAM 2022

The 18th HACGAM is being organised by the Indian Coast Guard in coordination with HACGAM secretariat from October 14-18, 2022 in New Delhi. 

The 17th HACGAM was hosted by Vietnam Coast Guard virtually in 2021. The 1st HACGAM was hosted by Japan Coast Guard in 2004 at Tokyo. 

Minister’ speech 

Speaking on the occasion the minister said that oceanic space should be respected as a global common for the benefit of all humanity in an environmentally sustainable way.  The minister stressed that India’s shared vision of ‘SAGAR’ (Security and Growth of All in Region), Sustainable Development Goals and ‘Rule Based Order at Sea’ complement the focused Indian approach of inclusive growth and lasting collaboration in the Indo-Pacific region. 

Participants  of the meeting

A total of 55 representatives from 18 countries and two International Organisations - Regional Cooperation Agreement on Combating Piracy and Armed Robbery against Ships in Asia Information Sharing Centre (ReCAAP ISC) & United Nations Office on Drugs & Crime- Global Maritime Crime Programme (UNODC-GMCP) - are participating in the meeting.

Heads of Asian Coast Guard Agencies Meeting (HACGAM)

The HACGAM is a multilateral forum of 23 countries; Australia, Bahrain, Bangladesh, Brunei, Cambodia, China, France,  India, Indonesia, Japan, South Korea, Laos ,Malaysia, Maldives, Myanmar, Pakistan, Philippines, Singapore, Sri Lanka, Thailand, Turkiye, Vietnam and one Region i.e. Hong Kong (China). 

Additionally, two international organisations Regional Cooperation Agreement on Combating Piracy and Armed Robbery against Ships in Asia Information Sharing Centre (ReCAAP ISC) & United Nations Office on Drugs & Crime- Global Maritime Crime Programme (UNODC-GMCP) are its members.

Indian Coast Guard 

It was set up in 1977 and it comes under the Ministry of Defence 

Director-General: Virender Singh Pathania