Indian Ocean faces growing threat of fuel spill

'Role of Andaman and Nicobar crucial under Act-East policy': PM Modi

Prime Minister Narendra Modiinaugurated the first ever undersea optical fibre project for Andaman and Nicobar Islands. This will provide high speed broadband connections in the Union Territory at par with services in the mainland. PM Modi said that the project will give a boost to digital services like tele-education, tele-health, e-governance services and tourism on the islands. PM Modi also said that this optical fibre cable project, connecting Andaman and Nicobar with the rest of the country is a symbol of our commitment towards ease of living. PM Modi added that tourists will get huge benefits from the optical fibre facility and thousands of families in the Union Territory will be able access education, banking, shopping or tele-medicine online and said that this in turn will open up more employment opportunities for people of the region. 'The Indian Ocean has been the centre of India's trade and strategic prowess for thousands of years. Now that India is following the new policy and practice of trade and cooperation in Indo-Pacific, the importance of our islands including Andaman and Nicobar has increased further,' said PM Modi. He added that Andaman and Nicobar Islands will play an extremely important role under India's Act-East policy. Watch the full video for all the details.

Mauritius declares emergency over oil spill from grounded ship

Indian Ocean island nation declares environmental emergency as satellite images show a dark slick spreading in waters.

India-US naval cooperation committed to support free Indo-Pacific: US Defence Secretary

US Secretary of Defence Dr. Mark T. Esper on July 21 put a light on their vision towards the security in Indo- pacific region. He highlighted rapid increase in defence cooperation with India and even mentioned about focus of US over the situation between India and China. "I want to highlight our increased defence cooperation with India, one the all important defence relationships of 21th century. We conducted our first-ever joint military exercise last November," said US Defence Secretary. He added, "As we speak today, USS Nimitz is conducting combined exercise with Indian Navy in the Indian Ocean, demonstrating our shared commitment to stronger naval cooperation and support to a free and open Indo-Pacific." "We are obviously monitoring the situation between India and China very closely, what's happening along the Line of Actual Control and we are very pleased to see both sides are trying to de-escalate the situation," he said further.

Watch: Indian naval ships conduct passage exercise with USS Nimitz carrier strike group

With an aim to improve the cooperation between US and Indian maritime forces, Indian naval ships on July 20 conducted a passage exercise (PASSEX) with the United States Navy's USS Nimitz carrier strike group near the Andaman and Nicobar islands as it is transiting the Indian Ocean. Indian Navy had conducted similar PASSEXs with Japan Maritime Self-Defense Force and French Navy in recent past.

Mauritius scrambles to counter oil spill from grounded ship

Residents of Mauritius stuffed fabric sacks with sugar cane leaves to createmakeshift oil spill barriers after as tons of fuel leaking from a groundedship put endangered wildlife in further peril. The government has declared anenvironmental emergency and France said it was sending help. Satellite imagesshowed a dark slick spreading in the turquoise waters near “very sensitive”wetlands.

'Environmental emergency' declared in Mauritius over bulk carrier oil leak

Authorities in Mauritius has declared a "state of environmental emergency" after a bulk carrier that ran aground offshore began spilling tons of fuel into the Indian Ocean.View on euronews