The National Security Advisor (NSA), Ajit Doval, who addressed the Colombo Security Conclave (CSC) in Mauritius on Thursday, stressed the “crucial role” of the multilateral grouping in ensuring regional security and stability.
Other CSC member states that participated in the 6th NSA-level meeting in Port Louis, Mauritius also reiterated the role and responsibility of the grouping in ensuring the safety, security, and stability of the Indian Ocean Region from traditional, non-traditional, and emerging hybrid challenges.
In his statement, NSA Doval emphasised “the crucial role of CSC in ensuring regional security and stability and highlighted the significance of continued engagements under the different pillars of cooperation,” the Indian High Commission in Mauritius stated.
The members also agreed on a Roadmap of Activities for 2024.
India, Maldives, Mauritius, and Sri Lanka are the member countries of the regional grouping, and Bangladesh and Seychelles are observers.
The Security Conclave was established in 2020 by the member countries to revive and expand the scope of the erstwhile Trilateral Meeting on Maritime Cooperation. Mauritius joined the conclave in 2022. Bangladesh and Seychelles have been part of both groupings as observer states.
Cooperation under the CSC focusses on five pillars of cooperation, including 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.
In the 6th NSA-level meeting, the member states also reviewed the progress of the decisions taken at the previous meeting.
The activities under the banner of CSC in the past year covered areas such as marine pollution, maritime law, coastal security, oceanography and hydrography, countering the financing of terrorism, investigation of terrorism cases, narcotics trafficking, cyber-crime, and cyber security.
The next edition of the NSA-level meeting is scheduled to be held in India in 2024.
