Power rivalries makes the Indian Ocean unstable: Ranil

COLOMBO (News 1st); Former prime minister Ranil Wickremesinghe who addressed the Indian Ocean Conference said that power rivalries are causing instability in the Indian Ocean. The former Prime Minister, speaking at the conference, stated that the simmering power rivalries between US and China in the Indian Ocean Region becomes even complicated by the addition of the AUKUS military alliance which also covers the Indian Ocean. "These developments in an increasing multipolar world order will bring about regional instability in the Indian Ocean. " he stated. Speaking further, the former Prime Minister said that the entanglement of great power rivalries in the Indian Ocean risks removing the focus on the public health shortfall, digital inequality, education disparities, unemployment and social fragmentation in some of the countries in the region. He also pointed out that the growing presence of advanced economies of Europe as outside players in the region would result in a throwback to the 17th and 18th Indian ocean scenario with more powerful outside powers dominating the weakened Indian ocean states. " This is a wakeup call for our region. We must act without delay. The starting point is a need for a summit between all Indian ocean leaders sooner than later," he emphasized.