India absent at China-Indian Ocean region meeting

China recently held a meeting with 19 countries from the Indian Ocean region in which India was absent.

The China International Development Cooperation Agency (CIDCA) held a meeting of the “China-Indian Ocean Region Forum” on November 21, according to a press release issued by the organisation.

The Chinese forum is believed to be aimed at countering India's strong influence in the Indian Ocean region, reports NDTV.

The meeting was held in a hybrid manner under the theme of "Shared Development: Theory and Practice from the Perspective of the Blue Economy" in Kunming, Yunnan Province.

Representatives of 19 countries, including Indonesia, Pakistan, Myanmar, Sri Lanka, Bangladesh, Maldives, Nepal, Afghanistan, Iran, Oman, South Africa, Kenya, Mozambique, Tanzania, Seychelles, Madagascar, Mauritius, Djibouti, Australia and representatives of 3 international organisations were present.