Session 1: The Indo-Pacific: The Region of Global Connection
Lieutenant General Mahesh Senanyake, RWP, RSP, VSV, USP, USACGSC
Commander of the Sri Lanka Army
‘Good afternoon to the distinguished gathering!
‘First and foremost, let me thank the Chief of the Australian Army and the organizing committee of the Chief of Army Land Forces Seminar 2018 for inviting me to deliver the keynote address on ‘The Indo-Pacific: The Region of Global Connection’ in which I distinctly consider this as a privilege bestowed upon me as the first ever Sri Lankan Army Chief to deliver a speech in this forum, especially among these well accomplished senior military leaders and defence scholars across the world. This seminar is always a major event for many prospective military leaders and I believe this year it feels bigger and even more relevant than ever.
‘Let me also express my sincere gratitude for the excellent hospitality extended towards me since the day I arrived in Adelaide.
‘Ladies and Gentlemen, the buzzword of this seminar is ‘Indo-Pacific’. The term Indo-Pacific has been in the minds of many policy makers and defence experts for decades due to the inherent importance of the region. The increased interpretation of the term ‘Indo-Pacific’ over the geographically more limited ‘Asia-Pacific’ has extended its importance and interest into many connotations. I believe nobody here needs to be reminded of the far- reaching strategic importance of the modified term of Indo-Pacific region. Having this in mind let me share my views under three pertinent questions:
- What constitutes the term Indo-Pacific?
- What are the dynamic interests of the Indo-Pacific today?
- What are the shared challenges and opportunities in the region?
What Constitutes the Term Indo-Pacific?
‘Ladies and Gentlemen, what constitutes the term Indo-Pacific is a question that has many answers. It entails unprecedented economic, security and diplomatic interpretations based on the wider national interests of the many global and regional players. The Indo-Pacific has now become a much contested topic in the current geo-strategic equations. [In] retrospect, the idea of Indo-Pacific has been there for ages in different terms. However, the geographic interest and geo-political imaginations have dictated and remained persistent at all ages.
‘Traditionally, the Indian Ocean region and the Asia-Pacific region were treated as two separate entities which span over the two regions of the Indian Ocean and the Pacific Ocean. Now, there is an increasing tendency to consider these two areas as a single entity. The term ‘Indo-Pacific’ has recently gained wider official acceptance among many countries due to obvious fact of the US President’s foreign policy interpretation and subsequent diplomatic engagements. During his Asia tour in November 2017, the US President, Donald Trump, often used the term Indo-Pacific, and the US National Security Strategy (NSS) has also referred to the Indo- Pacific construct. Further, even here in Australia, the 2016 Defence White Paper has used the ‘Indo-Pacific’ terminology. This term has gained wide currency in Japan, India, and in several South East Asian countries. Thus, the confluence of two seas, as implied by the term ‘Indo-Pacific’, has led to a greater degree of connectivity among many countries.
‘As per the Australian Journal of International Affairs, the Indo-Pacific means recognizing that the accelerating economic and security connections between the Western Pacific and the Indian Ocean regions are creating a single strategic system. This strategic system can be understood as a set of geopolitical power relationships among nations where major changes in one part of the system affects what happens in the other parts.
‘As you know, the region is the geographical connotation of the area which covers the eastern coast of Africa through the Indian Ocean and the Western Pacific Ocean. The waters of the Indo-Pacific region represent the largest ocean and the third largest ocean in the world. It is also home to 60% of the world’s population. Connection of these two oceans has not only emerged as geo-strategically and geo-economically important but also important in the fields of defence and security.
‘The coastline of the Indian Ocean has a total length of 66 526 kilometres. Further, the Indo-Pacific sea region and littorals are marked by a multiplicity of cultures, ethnicities, religions, economic models, megacities and governance structures. Sea is the common link which binds the subsystem within the Indo-Pacific.
What are the Dynamic Interests of the ‘Indo- Pacific’ Today?
‘Ladies and Gentlemen, let me now come to the question of the dynamic interest of the Indo-Pacific today. As we are all well aware, moving from ‘Asia-Pacific’ into ‘Indo-Pacific’ has rekindled the geo-strategic and geo- economic interest among many nations across the world. The importance of the Indo-Pacific term stems from ancient kingdoms to modern-day ambitious seafaring nations. This changing use of geographic terms has made many nations revisit their competing and conflicting interests.
‘The Indo-Pacific region can be considered as the center of gravity of many converging interests. These converging interests transcend from economic, geopolitical and security connections between [the] Western Pacific and Indian Ocean regions by making a well-connected theatre of interest. The region is also heavily militarized, which includes seven of the ten largest armies, and five of the world’s declared nuclear nations are also located in the Indo-Pacific region. Importantly, the maritime powers alike, the United States, China, Japan, India, South Korea and Australia, are also located in the region. The region is also home for three of the largest world economies and is also home for 12 member states of the G20 nations.
‘Further, the region is also home for approximately four billion people who live under different socio-economic conditions in 36 countries, which includes the most populous nation and the largest democratic nation. The region is also being highly urbanized and consists of nine megacities out of 10 mega-urban regions. Thus, the region has become a good marketplace in terms of consumers and investments. The majority of the region’s population boom will continue to occupy major cities, exacerbating demographic flow. Further, technical innovation in the cyber and digital domains is driving towards faster connectivity, bringing the region closer. The region is also identified as having the highest number of internet users and thereby making it a digitally connected Indo-Pacific.
‘The Indo-Pacific region is also claimed as the ‘engine of global growth’, as the world’s most important trade routes lie on the waters of the Indian Ocean. As per the records, almost half of the world’s total annual seaborne trade volumes pass through the Indian Ocean. Especially goods manufactured in East Asia–and destined for Europe–pass through the Strait of Malacca, across the Indian Ocean, and enter the Suez Canal. Oil supplies bound for China, India, Japan, South Korea and South West Asia move similarly. It should be noted that 50% of the world’s container traffic and 70% of the world’s crude oil products transit through the Indian Ocean.
‘The Strait of Malacca, which links the Indian and Pacific Oceans, is the shortest sea route between the Middle East and growing Asian markets; notably China, Japan, South Korea, and the Pacific Rim countries. Thus, several of the world’s top container ports, including Port Kelang in Malaysia, Singapore and Colombo ports are located in the Indian Ocean.
‘Further, 40% of the world’s offshore natural gas reserves are in the Indian Ocean littoral states and 55% of known offshore world oil reserves are in the Indian Ocean. It should also be noted that the continental shelves cover about 4.2% of the total area of the Indian Ocean and contains an abundance of mineral and natural resources.
‘The region is rich in fish and the Indian Ocean possesses some of the world’s largest fishing grounds, providing approximately 15% of the total world’s fish catch. According to the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), catches taken from the marine capture fisheries of the Indian Ocean and western Pacific have increased from less than 20 million metric tons in 1970 to 46 million tons in 2012 - over 57% of the world catch. The existing and yet to be discovered aquatic resources will be a major factor in meeting future demand of food and natural resources. As you are aware, fisheries contribute to most of the regional economies, especially, in the small island states.
‘Distinguished ladies and gentlemen, the region also has some countries that are governed through different political ideologies. Countries that are faced with conflicts/wars of different interests, such as ethnic, religious, social and political could also be found in the region. The development of trade and commerce and increased economic prosperity of regional players have made those countries potential powers that can influence the region and its security and/or political destiny. At large, the economic prosperity, technology and strategic competition has made the Indo-Pacific a region that can change the future of the world.
‘The Indo-Pacific region is also a witness to a multitude of regional organizations, multilateral structures, and bilateral and multilateral arrangements. The Association of South East Asian Nations known as ASEAN, the ASEAN Regional Forum known as ARF, the Asia Pacific Economic Cooperation known as APEC, the Bay of Bengal Initiative for Multi-Sectoral Technical and Economic Cooperation known as BIMSTEC, and the South Asia Association of Regional Cooperation known as SAARC, are some of them.
‘This is also a region where we witness a great power competition. The Chinese President Xi Jinping has proposed the ‘One Belt, One Road’ (OBOR) initiative with the ambition of creating an interconnected and integrated Eurasian continent by way of linking 65 Asian, European and African countries. On the other hand, the United States, Australia, Japan, and India are cooperating with each other to face the challenges posed by China.
What are the Shared Challenges and Opportunities in the Region?
‘Ladies and gentlemen, let me also share with you some shared challenges and opportunities available to harness stability, peace, prosperity and inclusive growth by way of mutual collaboration. As I deliberated earlier, the Indo-Pacific area remains the ‘engine of global growth’ and what matters here will directly affect global peace, security and development. Due to the inherent diversity of the region, it encompasses fragility and uncertainty in many areas. It evokes multiple strategic challenges in strategic, political and economic domains. Much of the challenges remain as non-traditional security threats. However, nuclear deterrence and provocations among major powers have added much volatility into the challenges. Let me now take up a few challenges very briefly.
Natural Disasters
‘Ladies and gentlemen, natural disasters can be considered as the main challenge as the Indo-Pacific region is deeply vulnerable to natural disasters such as floods, droughts, cyclones, earthquakes, tidal surges, landslides and tsunamis. Nearly 50% of the world’s natural disasters occur in the region sometimes called the ‘World’s Hazard Belt’. What happens here affects nearly half of the world.
‘The 2004 Indian Ocean earthquake and tsunami–which is considered as one of the world’s most disastrous natural events–happened in the Indian Ocean which claimed about 200 000 lives.
‘Moreover, the Thailand flood in 2011 with estimated damages of US $40 billion, 2014 India flood with estimated damages of US $16 billion, and Nepal earthquake in 2015 with estimated damages of US $5.7 billion, can be highlighted as some of the high magnitude disasters. According to United Nations’ figures, the region accounts for 57% of the global death toll from natural disasters since 1970 and assets worth $1.3 trillion have been lost between 1970 and 2016 [to the same causes].
‘Further, in 2016, 4 987 people died in the region due to disasters, the majority in floods (3 250) which hit Bangladesh, China, North Korea, India, Nepal, Pakistan and Sri Lanka. Storms accounted for 880 deaths and extreme temperature, 336 deaths.
‘In addition, significant climatic changes in the region, such as global warming, sea-levels rising, droughts and heat waves have also become critical climatic conditions which creates many negative socioeconomic impacts. Sea-level rise has threatened the long-term sustainability of coastal communities and valuable ecosystems, and the loss of millions of hectares of arable land.
‘The year 2015 has been reported as the hottest year, which saw several intense heat waves striking India and Pakistan between May and June that resulted in 2 248 and 1 229 deaths, respectively.
Drug Trafficking
‘I would like to emphasise that drug trafficking is another key issue prevailing in the region and it was found that an increase of illicit drug production, trafficking and transit routes are in the region. Some of the countries in the region produce opium and heroin. Cannabis production was found throughout most of the countries in the region. Drug trafficking and transit routes of Asia and the Pacific were proliferating and dynamic. Asia is being targeted by drug traffickers because of its economic growth and large youth population.
‘The Pacific is mainly known as a trans-shipment point for drugs entering other countries in the region. As per United Nations Office of Drug and Crime (UNODC), a $90 billion illegal economy in Asia comes from drugs. The Pacific has also become ripe for drug trafficking and transit because most of the countries do not have capacity to patrol their boundaries or territories. The impact on drug trafficking is a great impact on the national security and human security dimensions. Many countries are now fighting to their full potential to get away from this threat. However, due to the well-connected nature of the trade, many nations require collective efforts to eradicate these threats before they become a detrimental threat to the well-being of the societies.
Arms Trafficking
‘Coming on to arms trafficking. Ladies and Gentlemen, illegal firearms trafficking is another issue faced by the region. The impacts of firearms trafficking in the region are wide-ranging. This has affected not only regional security and law enforcement, but also impacted in the areas of human security, education, economic development, and public health. Illicit arms, their parts and components, and ammunition have caused a breakdown of law and order in some countries and represent a great challenge to sustainable development in some parts of the region. Sri Lanka, my country, suffered for three decades as Sri Lankan terrorists known as LTTE (Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam) received weapons through weapon smugglers and extensively using traffickers. Needless to say that drug trafficking and illegal firearms have, or share, close linkages to terrorism, insurgencies and piracy activities, directly or indirectly.
Sea Piracy
‘Sea piracy has also become an increasingly prominent issue in the region. Anarchy on land created sea piracy, particularly in the areas of the Horn of Africa and South East Asia. Pirate attacks are not random and do not happen by chance. Pirates use the latest technology to target highly valuable ships in highly trafficked waters. The waters surrounding the Suez Canal and the Horn of Africa are travelled by many ships and are frequently attacked by the Somali pirates. According to the annual State of Maritime Piracy report released by One Earth Future’s (OEF) Oceans Beyond Piracy program, there were 54 sea piracy incidents in 2017 around [the] Gulf of Aden compared to 27 in 2016.
‘The attacks by pirates in the waters of South East Asia stretching from the westernmost corner of Malaysia to the tip of Indonesia’s Bintan Island, the Malacca and Singapore have also been increasing year by year. According to figures from the International Maritime Bureau of the International Chamber of Commerce, there were 42 recorded attacks in 2009. By 2013, it had climbed to 125.
Overfishing and Illegal Fishing
‘Illegal unreported and unregulated fishing which is known as IUU fishing and also can be considered as another issue of the Indo-Pacific region, as this has caused rapid depletion of fish stock owing to a combination of overfishing and illegal fishing. As an example, 94% of yellow-fin tuna have been overfished, and the hilsa catch also declined by 90% from 2000 to 2015 around the Bay of Bengal sub-region.
‘The practice of IUU fishing has negatively impacted on inter-state relations where some of the countries had to deploy their coastal guard and naval assets to prevent such practices.
Conflicts/Disputes
‘Distinguished Ladies and Gentlemen, the region also has long-running territorial disputes. The conflicts in the region can be classified according to the central issue that causes the conflict: the sources of incompatibility. The seven primary sources of incompatibility which encompass the range of internal conflicts in the Indo-Pacific region are: colonial, ethnic, coup, ethno-national, political, religious, and territorial. When ethnic and religious conflicts are concerned, India, Pakistan, Myanmar, Indonesia, Philippines and Bangladesh experience different degrees of crisis based on various ethnicities and religions.
‘The Rohingya crisis which emerged in Myanmar in 2015, is one of the prominent crises in the Indo-Pacific region. As per the records of United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) by 24 May 2018, there are an estimated 905,000 refugees in Cox’s Bazar, Bangladesh and this crisis has become the fastest growing refugee crisis in the world. South China territorial claims, issue of free navigation and the conflict in Indonesia is also prominent in the region.
Issue of Terrorism
‘Since we are going to discuss the issue of terrorism in connection with violent extremism in the next session, I am not going to discuss it here in great detail. Let me just mention that the presence of transnational terrorist networks in the Indo-Pacific region is one of the most destabilizing factors we are facing today. This is one of the negative aspects of global connectivity. Terrorists are misusing all the avenues of connectivity, social media and other forms of technology to disrupt the world order. We should be determined to face this threat resolutely and we have achieved great success in this regard.
‘Ladies and Gentlemen, in terms of opportunities and prospects, the Indo-Pacific region remains the most potential region for collaboration and mutual inclusiveness. No nation would be able to resolve future threats alone due to [their] inherent complexity and trans-national connectivity. This requires collective responses in order to harness enduring stability, peace and prosperity in the region. Exploring common grounds through consultation, engagement, and building collaborative partnerships in diplomatic, economic and military domains are vital to convert challenges into opportunities. I believe that together we can take the Indo-Pacific region to a new height.
Sri Lanka: Strategic Location in the Indo-Pacific Region
‘With that in mind, Ladies and Gentlemen, let me very briefly appraise you on the Sri Lankan perspective on the Indo-Pacific region. Sri Lanka is located at the heart of the Indian Ocean and at the midpoint of the main shipping lane that connects the East to the West. The island is only 10 nautical miles off the world’s busiest shipping lane that connects the West to China and South East Asia. As many of you are well aware, we are a nation that suffered from brutal terrorism over three decades. However, the Sri Lankan armed forces defeated the LTTE terrorism completely in Sri Lanka. I am very proud to announce that Sri Lanka has become a role model to the world and it is actually a great achievement for peace-loving nations. Since 2009 we have not experienced a single shot of fire or incident due to unprecedented commitment of the armed forces of Sri Lanka. Unimaginable post-conflict efforts and realistic reconciliation mechanisms implemented by the government ensures that all citizens of the country live with peace and dignity.
‘As of now, in light of the regional and global developments, the government of Sri Lanka has embarked on a number of efforts to leverage Sri Lanka’s strategic location for a win-win situation to make Sri Lanka a hub of the Indian Ocean. We are always committed to ensure secure sea lines of communication to foster peace, prosperity and development in the region.
Role of the Land Force in Achieving Sustainable Peace - Sri Lanka Experience
‘Since the end of the conflict, the Sri Lanka Army has worked in the full spectrum of post-conflict military activities such as de-mining, resettlement of IDPs (Internally Displaced Persons), socio-economic and infrastructure development for IDPs and the Tamil community in the former conflict areas. Our commitment and expertise in these areas is visible through strong civil- military relationship, winning the hearts and minds of the people.
‘Through our experiences, the Sri Lanka Army has introduced an engagement and assistance policy to convince the people that [the] military is the best partner for sustainable peace and prosperity. It is observed that 80% of the population in the conflicted area is with the military forces today. A successful rehabilitation programme which rehabilitated over 12 000 ex- militants and their reintegration to society has become a model for others to follow. This endeavour is to prevent the re-emerging of radical/extreme movements.
‘As the Commander of the Sri Lanka Army, I take this opportunity to make an open invitation for all senior military officers to study the Sri Lankan counter-terrorism fighting strategies and our post-conflict development initiatives. I am sure those realistic strategies will surely enhance knowledge, skill and understanding of your respective militaries. The Sri Lanka Army very sincerely wishes to share our experiences and best practices through mutual engagement with your armies. We would be more than happy to host individuals of your armies to take part in our annual military exercises, training courses and defence seminars.
Conclusion
‘Ladies and Gentlemen, in conclusion, it is a well-known factor that the peace of the sea depends on the stability, peace and prosperity of the land. Even though there are many blues around the Indo-Pacific, people live on the land and many situations arise on the land itself. Therefore, land forces inevitably remain the main effort of many situations. Therefore, land forces in the region need to be prepared to address diversified threats in a joint manner and developing more collaborative partnerships with militaries around us. May it be a traditional threat or non-traditional, symmetric or asymmetric, land forces should be prepared to deal with them on land effectively.
‘Today in the world, countries are no longer in isolation: what matters in a country will affect the region; and what matters in the region will surely affect global peace and security. Therefore, cooperation and partnership are key to mitigate them and to ensure peace, stability and propriety in our region.
‘Distinguished Ladies and Gentlemen, finally, I would like to thank the Chief of the Australian Army and the organizing committee of the Chief of Army Land Force Seminar 2018 for organizing this prestigious forum and [having] the foresight to include elements on the Indo-Pacific’s regional global connection.
‘The Sri Lanka Army is looking forward to continuing this partnership in the future. Together, let’s make the Indo-Pacific a region of peace and prosperity.
‘Thank you very much.’
Figure 11. Exercise Bersama Shield conducted in the South China Sea and in Malaysia and Singapore. Top: With number 2 engine shut down and propellor feathered, a RAAF AP-3C Orion overflies another Orion from the RNZAF over the South China Sea. Middle: HMAS Perth leads Singaporean Navy ship RSS Stalwart and Royal Malaysia Navy Ship KD Kasturi. Bottom: An Australian Army soldier from Rifle Company Butterworth covers six o’clock while Malaysian and Singaporean soldiers conduct room clearances in an urban combat component of the exercise in Malaysia. (Images: DoD)
