Drugs smuggling has elevated in ‘quantum’ post-US exit from Afghanistan: Top Navy official
5 min readBy PTI
MUMBAI: Smuggling of narcotics has elevated in “quantum and size” submit the withdrawal of United States troops from Afghanistan in August 2021, particularly within the Indian Ocean Region (IOR), a high Indian Navy official stated on Tuesday.
Vice Admiral Ajendra Bahadur Singh, Flag Officer Commanding-in-Chief, Western Naval Command, stated China’s footprint within the maritime area of IOR has grown manifold over the past decade, with the rising presence of its warships, analysis and fishing vessels other than service provider ships.
He termed the continued Russia-Ukraine conflict, which began on February 24, as a “landmark” occasion which has already began shaping a shift in world geopolitics and the world economic system.
He additionally identified the intensive fishing by massive fishing trawlers belonging to “extra regional countries”, particularly China, working within the North Arabian Sea.
Although not in India’s Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ), the “detrimental effect” of in depth fishing on the downstream fish catch deserves coordinated motion by all coastal nations, Vice Admiral Singh stated.
“Narcotics trade has increased in quantum and size post the US withdrawal (from Afghanistan). Much of the narcotics are coming from Afghanistan, Pakistan and Iran,” he stated.
The senior Navy officer was responding to a query on the ‘Arabian Sea Dialogue’, a seminar organised by the Observer Research Foundation right here.
In his tackle on the occasion, Vice Admiral Singh stated the withdrawal of US forces from Afghanistan after 20 years has as soon as once more created instability within the area and it might take a while for the scenario to stabilize.
“Many times we wonder, what did 20 years of (troops) deployment (by the US) achieve for any country in the region,” he stated.
The US retreated from Afghanistan in August final 12 months amid a swift takeover of the war-torn nation by the Taliban.
He stated narco-trafficking constitutes almost 50 per cent of the contraband smuggling within the area and has severe penalties on youthful generations and societies.
“Our ships undertake regular operations to curb narco smuggling at the sea — from the Makran coast till the Maldives — seizing contraband worth hundreds of millions of dollars. In our view, these operations will weaken the foundation of terrorist activities in the region and dry up their funding,” Vice Admiral Singh stated.
The Mumbai-headquartered Western Naval Command guards India’s maritime borders adjoining Pakistan and in addition the nation’s huge EEZ, is an space of the ocean by which a rustic has particular rights concerning exploration and use of marine assets.
Indian safety businesses have seized medication value hundreds of crores from Maharashtra and Gujarat within the final one 12 months.
To tackle the problem of Illegal Unreported & Unregulated (IUU) fishing, there’s an pressing have to assessment present mechanisms of the Indian Ocean Tuna Commission, Vice Admiral Singh recommended.
“We could together create a new framework to prevent depletion of our vital food resource. In my opinion, IUU fishing directly impacts the food security of the region and could be one of the priority ‘areas of collaboration’ between India and GCC (Gulf Cooperation Council) countries,” he stated.
The Indian Navy officer stated general, the world has witnessed a extra assertive China and this aggressive posturing has been evident each within the South and East China Seas in addition to nearer within the Himalayas and the Indian Ocean Region.
Referring to the stress between China and Taiwan post-visit of senior US officers to the latter within the latest months, Vice Admiral Singh stated sabre-rattling and rigidity within the Indo-Pacific are once more gathering steam with the latest developments within the self-governing island.
This may disturb the established order and will have a bigger influence on the worldwide safety situation, he cautioned.
MUMBAI: Smuggling of narcotics has elevated in “quantum and size” submit the withdrawal of United States troops from Afghanistan in August 2021, particularly within the Indian Ocean Region (IOR), a high Indian Navy official stated on Tuesday.
Vice Admiral Ajendra Bahadur Singh, Flag Officer Commanding-in-Chief, Western Naval Command, stated China’s footprint within the maritime area of IOR has grown manifold over the past decade, with the rising presence of its warships, analysis and fishing vessels other than service provider ships.
He termed the continued Russia-Ukraine conflict, which began on February 24, as a “landmark” occasion which has already began shaping a shift in world geopolitics and the world economic system.
He additionally identified the intensive fishing by massive fishing trawlers belonging to “extra regional countries”, particularly China, working within the North Arabian Sea.
Although not in India’s Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ), the “detrimental effect” of in depth fishing on the downstream fish catch deserves coordinated motion by all coastal nations, Vice Admiral Singh stated.
“Narcotics trade has increased in quantum and size post the US withdrawal (from Afghanistan). Much of the narcotics are coming from Afghanistan, Pakistan and Iran,” he stated.
The senior Navy officer was responding to a query on the ‘Arabian Sea Dialogue’, a seminar organised by the Observer Research Foundation right here.
In his tackle on the occasion, Vice Admiral Singh stated the withdrawal of US forces from Afghanistan after 20 years has as soon as once more created instability within the area and it might take a while for the scenario to stabilize.
“Many times we wonder, what did 20 years of (troops) deployment (by the US) achieve for any country in the region,” he stated.
The US retreated from Afghanistan in August final 12 months amid a swift takeover of the war-torn nation by the Taliban.
He stated narco-trafficking constitutes almost 50 per cent of the contraband smuggling within the area and has severe penalties on youthful generations and societies.
“Our ships undertake regular operations to curb narco smuggling at the sea — from the Makran coast till the Maldives — seizing contraband worth hundreds of millions of dollars. In our view, these operations will weaken the foundation of terrorist activities in the region and dry up their funding,” Vice Admiral Singh stated.
The Mumbai-headquartered Western Naval Command guards India’s maritime borders adjoining Pakistan and in addition the nation’s huge EEZ, is an space of the ocean by which a rustic has particular rights concerning exploration and use of marine assets.
Indian safety businesses have seized medication value hundreds of crores from Maharashtra and Gujarat within the final one 12 months.
To tackle the problem of Illegal Unreported & Unregulated (IUU) fishing, there’s an pressing have to assessment present mechanisms of the Indian Ocean Tuna Commission, Vice Admiral Singh recommended.
“We could together create a new framework to prevent depletion of our vital food resource. In my opinion, IUU fishing directly impacts the food security of the region and could be one of the priority ‘areas of collaboration’ between India and GCC (Gulf Cooperation Council) countries,” he stated.
The Indian Navy officer stated general, the world has witnessed a extra assertive China and this aggressive posturing has been evident each within the South and East China Seas in addition to nearer within the Himalayas and the Indian Ocean Region.
Referring to the stress between China and Taiwan post-visit of senior US officers to the latter within the latest months, Vice Admiral Singh stated sabre-rattling and rigidity within the Indo-Pacific are once more gathering steam with the latest developments within the self-governing island.
This may disturb the established order and will have a bigger influence on the worldwide safety situation, he cautioned.
