New Delhi: Defence minister Rajnath Singh on Monday said no single country should dominate others in a hegemonic manner in the Indian Ocean region, while making a fresh call for a free, open and rule-based maritime order in the vast stretch.

“‘Might is right’ has no place in such a maritime order,” Singh said at the 4th Goa Maritime Conclave attended by top naval officials from 13 countries.

The comments come in the backdrop of China expanding its influence in the region by setting up military bases, bullying countries to advance its unlawful maritime claims and ensnaring vulnerable states in unsustainable debts to force strategic concessions.

Singh touched upon the consequences of illegal, unreported and unregulated (IUU) fishing at a time when China is under the scanner for such activities.

“Adherence to international laws and agreements must be our lodestar. Our narrow immediate interests may tempt us to flout or disregard the well-established international law, but doing so would lead to the breakdown of our civilised maritime relations,” Singh said in his keynote address.

He said the common security and prosperity of all stakeholders cannot be preserved without them adhering to the legitimate maritime rules of engagement. “Fair rules of engagement are crucial for fostering collaboration and ensuring that no single country dominates others in a hegemonic manner.”

In his address, navy chief Admiral R Hari Kumar drew attention to the changing nature of threats, both traditional and non-traditional, and those emanating from the sea. He said the conclave offered a valuable opportunity to develop effective mitigation strategies against such threats and maintaining peace and securing growth in the Indian Ocean region.

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On IUU fishing, which relates to resource over-exploitation, the minister said, “IUU fishing endangers ocean ecosystems and sustainable fishery. It also threatens our economic security and regional and global food security. A multinational collaborative effort for compilation and sharing of surveillance data is the need of the hour. It will help in identifying actors with irregular or threatening behaviour, which will have to be countered resolutely.”

On climate change, Singh said the collaborative mitigation framework can involve countries working together to reduce carbon emissions and transition to sustainable practices. He added the world could overcome the problem if all countries accepted the responsibility to cut emissions by investing in green economy and sharing technology and capital with the needy nations.

He also called for establishing multinational collaborative frameworks to tackle common challenges such as piracy, terrorism, drug trafficking and freedom of commerce in the region.

The three-day conclave, hosted by the Indian Navy, began on October 29 and is being attended by representatives from Comoros, Bangladesh, Indonesia, Madagascar, Malaysia, the Maldives, Mauritius, Myanmar, Seychelles, Singapore, Sri Lanka and Thailand.