Dharamshala, 5th October: In a first, India recently organized a special training session for six countries from the Indian Ocean Region (IOR), four of which are from the strategically crucial western Indian Ocean, where India has been lagging behind China. The 2-week special training at the Sushma Swaraj Institute of Foreign Service drew 35 diplomats from Madagascar, Comoros, Seychelles, Mauritius, Sri Lanka, and the Maldives. Comoros and Madagascar, both in the western Indian Ocean, sent 12 and 10 diplomats to the program, respectively, in a region where bureaucratic red tape has threatened to undercut India’s outreach.

According to the government, this first-of-its-kind course will assist develop mutual understanding and cooperation among IOR countries, as well as raise awareness of the region as a place of “peace, progress, and prosperity” for all. The fact that Comoros and Madagascar, the largest island in the Indian Ocean, expressed strong interest in the program is significant for India. With the establishment of a defense attaché in Madagascar earlier this year, China has bolstered its naval presence in the region.

The proposal for a military attaché in Madagascar was accepted by India a few years ago, but the appointment has yet to take place. Another request for the deployment of a liaison officer to Madagascar’s Regional Maritime Information Fusion Centre is also on hold. Despite years of discussion, another plan for the appointment of English teachers in Madagascar has not materialized.

Last month, Beijing began offering a Chinese language course at Madagascar’s defense ministry in order to allow a more efficient “exchange of ideas and experiences” between the two militaries.

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