White Shipping Information Exchange Agreements

This information was given by minister of state for the Navy Shri Pon. Radhakrishnan in a written response to a question to Lok Sabha today. India has signed white shipping agreements with several countries, including the United States and Singapore, and is seeking a similar agreement with other countries as part of its ongoing efforts to develop an effective regional MDA. In 2014, the government approved the proposal to conclude bilateral and multilateral agreements on the exchange of information on white shipping with navies, coast guards and maritime security agencies of 26 countries and 3 multinational groups. These agreements, which allow for the exchange of unclassified information, are not security pacts per se, but would contribute to expanding existing capabilities to develop maritime domain knowledge (MDA) and thus support maritime security.