The evolving role of the Colombo Security Conclave

Subject : IR

Section: International groupings

Context:

In early December, India’s National Security Adviser (NSA), Ajit Doval, took part in the sixth NSA meeting of the Colombo Security Conclave (CSC).
The meeting reviewed the developments and progress made by the CSC in the last year and agreed upon a road map for the year 2024 to promote a safe, secure, and stable Indian Ocean.

About Colombo Security Conclave

The Colombo Security Conclave is a regional security grouping.
It was initially formed in 2011 as a trilateral Indian Ocean maritime security grouping of India, Sri Lanka and the Maldives.
It was revived again in 2021. The Colombo Security Conclave has since expanded both its membership as well as scope.
Colombo Security Conclave envisages sharing intelligence and collaborating on the security aspects of marine security, human trafficking, counter-terrorism, and cyber security.
The fifth edition saw the induction of Mauritius as a new member and the scope of the conclave has been expanded to include humanitarian assistance and disaster relief.

Significance

In light of the current global circumstances, the gathering that focuses on working together for military and security purposes becomes increasingly important in the region.
Maritime Security: The conclave conducts “CSC Focused Operation” which plays a key role in keeping the Indian Ocean safe and secure for commercial shipping, international trade and conduct of legitimate maritime activities.
Exchange of Information: It further improves the existing harmony in the region through timely exchange of information.
Cooperation between Agencies: The conclave will aid in greater understanding and interoperability between the security agencies.
Cybersecurity: The grouping helps in addressing key challenges such as Deep Web, Dark Net, Digital Forensics, Cyber Threat intelligence; and Defensive Operations in Cyber Domain.
Tackling Environmental Hazards: Recent incidents like that of MV Xpress Pearl, MT New Diamond, and MV Wakashio caused wide-scale marine pollution in the Indian Ocean. The conclave also focuses its attention in this regard.

Some Other Security Dialogues: