It is an honour to address the Ninth Indian Ocean Conference here in Mauritius—a nation that reflects the diversity and dynamism of the Indian Ocean community. I bring the warm greetings and best wishes of the Government and people of Nepal. For Nepal, collective stewardship begins with a simple recognition: the fate of the mountains and the ocean is inextricably linked.
As we gather here, we cannot ignore the conflicts unfolding in the Middle East. For Nepal, these are not distant events. Millions of Nepali citizens live and work in the region, and their safety remains our foremost concern. We have already lost one life, and others have been injured. The consequences extend far beyond the region, affecting fuel prices, supply chains, and livelihoods back home. These disruptions remind us that the stability of the Indian Ocean is inseparable from global peace.
The theme of this year’s Conference—”Collective Stewardship for Indian Ocean Governance”—could not be more apt. Climate change, maritime security threats, disruptions to global supply chains, and widening inequalities demand not only cooperation but genuine collective stewardship. In the view of the Government of Nepal, stewardship means moving beyond narrow self-interest towards shared responsibility for our global commons. This requires inclusive, transparent, and rules-based multilateral frameworks. These must be anchored in international law and guided by the principles of sovereign equality, mutual respect, and peaceful coexistence. Our governance must be equitable, ecological, and, above all, inclusive of those in the landlocked interior who rely on the ocean.
Nepal may be a landlocked nation, but our ties to the Indian Ocean are ancient, organic, and inseparable. Long before the age of modern diplomacy, Nepali traders, pilgrims, and scholars travelled along routes linking the high Himalayas to the shores of this great ocean. These routes were not merely for trade; they were conduits for ideas. The philosophies and traditions that form our shared civilizational heritage flowed along these currents. Most notably, these shores carried the teachings of Gautama Buddha, who was born in the sacred gardens of Lumbini, Nepal.
The Buddhist principle of “Pratītyasamutpāda” (प्रतित्यसमुत्पद), the law of dependent origination, teaches us that nothing exists in isolation. This teaching reminds us that all phenomena arise in dependence on other causes and conditions. Today, we see this ancient wisdom reflected in modern science and geopolitics. The Indian Ocean and the Himalayas are not distant strangers; they are bound together by ecology, hydrology, and destiny. The Hindu Kush Himalaya region is the primary source of fresh water for billions of people. The glaciers and snowfields of Nepal feed the great river systems that ultimately discharge into the Indian Ocean. Therefore, the health of the mountains and the health of the ocean are inseparable.
Climate change has laid bare this interdependence in the most alarming ways. As Nepal’s glaciers retreat at unprecedented rates, we face the imminent threat of glacial lake outburst floods that endanger entire communities. At the same time, the Indian Ocean is warming faster than any other ocean, driving sea-level rise that threatens the very existence of low-lying island states and coastal communities. What melts in the mountains eventually rises in the seas. Nepal has been vocal about this nexus at the United Nations and at COP summits. We have also established Sagarmatha Sambaad, our flagship global dialogue platform, to address the future of humanity through the lens of climate change and the mountain-ocean link. We call upon this Conference to formally recognise this ecological bridge as a critical dimension of Indian Ocean governance. Our stewardship must encompass both the peaks and the waters, for they rise and fall together.
As a signatory to the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS), Nepal reaffirms its commitment to the foundational framework of the law of the sea. We emphasise that landlocked nations have inherent rights to access the high seas and to participate in the maritime economy. These are not privileges granted by geography but rights enshrined in international law.
The Indian Ocean is central to global trade and energy flows. Its stability is therefore a global responsibility. Nepal is deeply concerned about threats such as maritime terrorism, piracy, and illicit trafficking in drugs and human beings. These challenges affect real lives, including those of Nepali citizens who travel across these waters in search of livelihoods. We support the peaceful resolution of disputes through dialogue and international law. Nepal’s foreign policy is firmly grounded in the UN Charter, the principles of Panchsheel, and non-alignment. We call for a rules-based international order in which the rights of all nations, large and small, are respected.
As I conclude, every time I hear of the ocean, I am reminded of the ancient story from the Hindu text Samundra Manthan—the Churning of the Ocean. In the story, the ocean was churned by the rival Devas and Asuras. But, for once, they decided to collaborate to churn the ocean for Amrit, the nectar of immortality. Yet, before the nectar could emerge, the churning released the Halahala, a lethal poison that threatened to consume all of creation. It was Lord Shiva who, in an act of ultimate stewardship and profound compassion, stepped forward to consume the poison to save the world. The poison was so powerful that even Shiva’s neck burned blue, and to soothe his burning throat, he sought sanctuary in the Himalayas of Nepal.
This story is a powerful metaphor for our times. Today’s world requires Karuna—compassion and empathy—from everyone, especially those who hold great power, much like Shiva himself. This compassion must extend not only to human beings but also to all living and non-living beings—the marine life in our depths and the ecosystems on our peaks.
We are bound not only by geography but also by shared responsibility. Nepal stands ready—as a partner in dialogue, a voice for the landlocked, and a bridge between the mountains and the ocean. Let us move forward in the spirit of “Sarve Bhavantu Sukhinah”—May all beings be happy.
Author Brief Bio: H.E. Shri Shishir Khanal is the Foreign Minister of Nepal
