PORT BLAIR: The Andaman and Nicobar Command (ANC), India’s only joint armed forces command, will host the second annual ‘Dweep Diksha Dialogue‘ at Sri Vijayapuram on December 19 and 20. This year’s event marks the 20th anniversary of the 2004 Indian Ocean Tsunami, one of the deadliest natural disasters in the region’s history.
The devastating tsunami claimed around 2.28 lakh lives across 14 countries, severely affecting livelihoods in Indonesia, Sri Lanka, Thailand, Tamil Nadu, and the Andaman and Nicobar Islands). The islands alone recorded 1,310 deaths, with 5,600 people missing and presumed dead.
The disaster caused widespread environmental and economic damage, emphasising the need for regional collaboration to establish unified disaster response protocols.
The seminar, themed ‘2004 Tsunami: Lessons and Prospects for the Indian Ocean Region (IOR),’ will see participation from nations across the IOR, as well as countries involved in the Indian Ocean Naval Symposium (IONS) Working Group.
A senior ANC official said, “We are pleased to announce that delegates from the Maldives, Indonesia, Sri Lanka, Thailand, Bangladesh, Vietnam, Australia, Malaysia, and Indonesia will join the event to discuss disaster response strategies and enhance interoperability.”
In line with Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s vision of SAGAR (Security and Growth for All in the Region), the event underscores ANC’s commitment to regional cooperation, fortifying India’s leadership in disaster management, and advancing humanitarian efforts in the Indian Ocean Region, he added.
