Colombo Security Conclave                                                                                 

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Context: National Security Advisor while addressing the 5th NSA-level Colombo Security Conclave (CSC) Meeting called for strengthening cooperation amongst maritime neighbours in the Indian Ocean region to address shared security challenges.

• India, the Maldives and Sri Lanka had conducted a two-day maritime operation in the Indian Ocean region to keep it safe and secure including for international trade.
• Ships and aircraft of the navies of the three countries had participated in the maiden ‘Colombo Security Conclave (CSC) Focused Operation’
• CSC is being attended by National Security Advisors and Representatives from India, Sri Lanka, Maldives, Mauritius, Bangladesh and Seychelles.
• It aim to address the regional security challenges such as narco-trafficking, human trafficking, piracy, fisheries, counterterrorism and violent extremism.
• It identified key areas of cooperation to enhance and strengthen regional security in the following five pillars:
  • Maritime Safety and Security;
  • Countering Terrorism and Radicalisation;
  • Combating Trafficking and Transnational Organised Crime;
  • Cyber Security,
  • Protection of Critical Infrastructure and Technology and Humanitarian Assistance and Disaster Relief.

Colombo Security Conclave

• It was founded as a trilateral security framework between India, Sri Lanka and the Maldives with four pillars of security cooperation, covering marine safety and security, human trafficking, counter-terrorism, and cyber security.
• ‘CSC Focused Operation’ was aimed at keeping the vital part of the Indian Ocean safe and secure for commercial shipping, international trade and conduct of legitimate maritime activities.

What is maritime security?

• In international relations, maritime security doesn’t have a commonly agreed definition.
• It classifies issues in the maritime domain comprising national security, marine environment, economic development, and human security.
• It also deal with regional seas, territorial waters, rivers and ports.

Why it is significant?

• Maritime security is of utmost significance to the world community as there are maritime concerns ranging from piracy at sea to illegal immigration and weapon smuggling.
• It also deals with threats of terrorist attacks and environmental catastrophes.
• For India, maritime security is an important aspect of national security as it has a coastline of over 7,000 km.
• India’s exports and imports have remained mostly across the shipping lanes of the Indian Ocean. Therefore, securing Sea Lanes of Communication (SLOCs) have been an important issue for India in the 21st century.
• Maritime security is the centre of India’s foreign policy due to growing chinese presence also in the Indian Ocean Region.

‘SAGAR’ vision

• With an aim to deepen economic and security cooperation with its maritime neighbours and assist in building their maritime security capabilities.
• The initiative focused on seven pillars of maritime security - Maritime Ecology, Maritime Resources, Capacity Building and Resource Sharing, Disaster Risk Reduction and Management, Science, Technology and Academic Cooperation and Trade Connectivity and Maritime Transport.

https://www.businesstoday.in/latest/story/nsa-doval-calls-for-strengthening-maritime-cooperation-in-indian-ocean-325389-2022-03-10