New Delhi: The Colombo Security Conclave (CSC), a regional security forum of four Indian Ocean countries, Thursday held its 6th National Security Adviser (NSA)-level meeting in Mauritius, which agreed on a roadmap of activities for 2024. The meeting also witnessed the launch of an Ocean Information Services portal and proposals for new joint working groups to tackle issues such as trafficking, organised crime, humanitarian assistance and disaster relief.
The conclave focuses on five pillars of cooperation — maritime safety and security, countering terrorism and radicalisation, combating trafficking and transnational organised crime, cyber security and protection of critical infrastructure and humanitarian assistance and disaster relief.
The meeting was attended by India’s National Security Adviser Ajit Doval and his counterparts from Sri Lanka and Mauritius, along with delegates from Seychelles and Bangladesh, according to a post by the High Commission of India in Mauritius on the social media platform X (formerly Twitter). The post makes no mention of the NSA of Maldives attending the meeting.
National Security Advisers of India, Mauritius and Sri Lanka, as well as delegates from Seychelles and Bangladesh participated in the 6th NSA-level Meeting of the Colombo Security Conclave (CSC) today in Mauritius. (1/2) pic.twitter.com/6Fa9P9FjLD
— India in Mauritius (@HCI_PortLouis) December 7, 2023
The CSC, which comprises India, Sri Lanka, Mauritius and Maldives, was formed in 2020, when India, Sri Lanka and Maldives expanded the Trilateral Meeting on Maritime Cooperation. Mauritius was the fourth member to join the Conclave in March 2022 at the 5th NSA-level meeting in Male, Maldives.
Bangladesh and Seychelles are observer members of the Conclave.
In his statement to the CSC, Doval “emphasised the crucial role of CSC in ensuring regional security & stability, and highlighted the significance of continued engagements under the different pillars of cooperation,” the High Commission of India in Mauritius posted on X.
Government sources familiar with the matter told ThePrint, “Member states reviewed the progress of the decisions taken at the 5th NSA-level Meeting and agreed on a Roadmap of Activities for 2024.”
“Member states reiterated the role and responsibility of the CSC in ensuring the safety, security and stability of the Indian Ocean Region (IOR) from traditional, non-traditional and emerging hybrid challenges,” the sources added.
The 7th NSA-level meeting of the CSC is scheduled to be held in India next year. Doval also called on Pravind Kumar Jugnauth, Prime Minister of the Republic of Mauritius, during his visit.
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Cooperation across pillars
Government sources told ThePrint that in the past year, member and observer states have participated in various activities in areas, such as marine pollution, maritime law, coastal security, oceanography and hydrography, countering financing of terrorism, investigation of terrorism cases, narcotics trafficking, cyber-crime and cyber security.
The Thursday meeting followed up on the deliverables agreed upon during the first oceanographers and hydrographers conference held in November 2022 in Goa and Hyderabad. A CSC Ocean Information Services portal was launched during the meeting in Mauritius
The second oceanography and hydrograph conference will be held in early 2024.
As a part of training and capacity-building activities of the CSC, police officers, counterterrorism experts, drug law enforcement officers and cyber security experts have been engaging in regular exchanges, both in the virtual and physical formats, government sources explained to ThePrint.
“Joint working groups on countering terrorism and radicalisation and on cyber security and protection of critical infrastructure have also been established to deepen further cooperation in specific priority areas,” the sources added.
According to the sources, joint working groups on combating trafficking and transnational organised crime, humanitarian assistance and disaster relief have also been conceptualised and are under discussion between member states.
(Edited by Richa Mishra)
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