India seeks to strengthen the role of the Andaman and Nicobar Islands as a maritime and economic gateway to the Indo-Pacific, with a focus on securing shipping lanes, enhancing port connectivity and building strong supply chains amid barriers to global trade. The initiative was announced at the launch event organized for ‘Andaman Dialogue 2027’. Diplomats, maritime experts, government officials and industry representatives from more than 15 countries attended the event to discuss regional economic and security cooperation.
The talks, to be held on March 12-14, 2027 at Swaraj Island in the Andaman Islands, will focus on strengthening maritime infrastructure, trade connectivity and partnerships in the Indian Ocean and Indo-Pacific regions. Addressing the gathering through a recorded message, Commerce and Industry Minister Piyush Goyal emphasized the islands’ potential as an economic bridge between South and South-East Asia. In which special emphasis will be given in the areas of trade, logistics, shipping, digital infrastructure and finance. Goyal also pointed to increasing disruptions and technological changes in global supply chains and stressed the need for reliable partnerships, secure critical infrastructure and strong regional economic potential.
The former naval chief laid out the blueprint
National Maritime Foundation Chairman and former Navy Chief Admiral Dinesh K. Tripathi highlighted the islands’ strategic location near major shipping lanes connecting the Bay of Bengal, the Indian Ocean and the wider Indo-Pacific. They called for greater cooperation in maritime surveillance, port connectivity, shipbuilding, ship repair and training of seafarers and emphasized the importance of secure sea lanes for international trade and regional stability.
Tripathi said India-ASEAN trade will reach about $128 billion in 2025-26, which is about 11 percent of India’s total trade. He emphasized the economic importance of strong maritime ties with South-East Asian countries. He also informed about the plan to increase international cooperation through ‘Information Fusion Centre-Indian Ocean Region’, which currently comprises liaison officers from around 16-17 partner countries. The target is to increase this number to 50 by 2028.
Tripathi proposed enhancing the maritime information sharing system for commercial shipping in the Andaman Sea as well as better collaboration between regional ports and the maritime industry. On infrastructure, he allocated Rs. 69,725 crore package and announced during the ‘India Maritime Week’ around Rs. 12 lakh crore investment promises were mentioned. He also emphasized the interconnectedness of naval and commercial shipbuilding as both rely on similar industrial capabilities, skilled workers and supply chains.
These issues were also discussed
The event featured a panel discussion on regional economic cooperation, which considered ways to translate shared policy priorities into partnerships with businesses, investors and institutions. Participants discussed threats affecting maritime trade routes and critical infrastructure (such as subsea cables), and emphasized the importance of strong regional networks and rules-based cooperation.
Diplomatic representatives of Fiji, Djibouti, Seychelles, Sri Lanka, Australia, Singapore, Mauritius, Thailand, Vietnam and Maldives participated in the event. The inaugural event was jointly organized by the Forum for Integrated National Security (FINS) and the Center for Domestic Economy Policy Research (C-DEP) and was attended by senior government officials and maritime industry representatives. The upcoming ‘Andaman Dialogue’ is expected to focus on practical cooperation to enhance the security and robustness of maritime assets and infrastructure supporting regional trade and economic activities.
