Piracy and defense cooperation with India at the heart of C. Ashton's visit

(BRUSSELS2) After the discussion on the diplomatic service in Madrid, the EU's chief diplomat,
Cathy Ashton flies to India, the fourth major destination after Washington, Moscow, Beijing. Piracy and security and defense policy are on the agenda. Objective (among others): to strengthen ties with India both in crisis management - in line with the final declaration of the EU-India summit in Marseilles in 2008 (1) - and in the fight against pirates. She is also taking with her the "Mister Terrorism" of the EU (Gilles de Kerchove) as well as the Chief of Military Staff of the EU (Ton Van Osch) and should notably meet in Delhi, the Indian adviser to National Security, Shiv Shankar
menon.

On the piracy side, the Indian Navy is indeed very active, and it is therefore important to have closer cooperation, or even to conclude an agreement for the transfer of suspects (which seems difficult), especially as piracy approaches the coasts Indian. The Indian Navy has just published its report, since October 2008, the beginning of its presence in the Gulf of Aden. She thus escorted exactly 1037 ships, including 134 flying the Indian flag and 903 flying another flag. And the Ministry of Defense recently expressed its intention to permanently maintain at least one warship in the area.

(1) Several cooperation themes were included, in particular "the exchange of good practices on peacebuilding operations, including in
Africa, or the intensification of exchanges in the fight against terrorism".

(Nicolas Gros-Verheyde)

Download it Joint Action Plan (JAP)

(photo credit: Indian Navy - Brahmaputra F31 frigate)