New Delhi, Nov. 12 -- Highlighting the sheer scale of maritime surveillance required across the Indo-Pacific, Union Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) Secretary (East) Rudrendra Tandon on Thursday underscored India's support for coordinated patrolling mechanisms around the strategic Strait of Malacca, while acknowledging the territorial jurisdiction of ASEAN littoral states.

Speaking on the Malacca Strait Protocol during a special press briefing, the MEA Secretary noted that while India lies outside the narrow waterway itself, collaborative security frameworks are essential to effectively monitor the expansive maritime domain.

"On the Malacca Strait Protocol, the Malacca Strait is distributed between the territorial waters of certain AS...