Maiden embarkation of scientists from Indian Ocean Countries onboard Antarctic expedition – Colombo Security Conclave (CSC)

Maiden embarkation of scientists from Indian Ocean Countries onboard Antarctic expedition – Colombo Security Conclave (CSC)

Subject: IR

Section: International Conventions

Context:

• Two scientists from Mauritius and one scientist from Bangladesh boarded the vessel at Cape town on 20 Dec 2023 to participate in the 43rd Antarctic expedition of India led by National Centre for Polar and Ocean Research, Goa.

More on news:

• This participation of scientists from neighboring countries is an outcome of the CSC Oceanographers and Hydrographers conference held at Goa and Hyderabad in November 2022.
• The scientists from CSC nations had embarked onboard ‘Sagar Nidhi’ for a month-long scientific expedition in the Indian Ocean Region in June 2023.
• These scientists will participate in the Antarctic expedition for a period of 3-4 months.
• They will undertake collaborative research in various disciplines pertaining to polar science and understand the nuances of Polar logistics as well as challenges of the Polar environment.

About Colombo Security Conclave:

• The Colombo Security Conclave was formed in 2011 as a trilateral maritime security grouping of India, Sri Lanka and the Maldives.
• Later Mauritius joining as the fourth member and Bangladesh & Seychelles participating as observer countries
• The Conclave underlines regional cooperation and shared security objectives concerning all littoral nations in the Indian Ocean Region (IOR).
• It aims to make maritime security, marine pollution response and maritime search & rescue priorities for the region.
• The 5th National Security Adviser level meeting of the Colombo Security Conclave was held in Maldives on 09-10 March 2022. 
• In the meeting, key areas of cooperation to enhance and strengthen regional security were identified 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
  • Humanitarian Assistance and Disaster Relief
• Its 6th NSA level meet was convened at Mauritius in December 2023.
•  In November 2021, India, Sri Lanka, and Maldives conducted Exercise Dosti XV in Maldives, with Bangladesh and the Seychelles as observers. 

About SAGAR:

SAGAR is an acronym  for Security and Growth for All in the Region, is a term used by the Prime Minister and Government of India for India’s vision and geopolitical framework of maritime cooperation in the Indian Ocean region. 

SAGAR was launched in 2015. It is India’s strategic vision for the Indian Ocean Region (IOR).

Security and Growth for All in the Region (SAGAR) and neighborhood first policy are the prime initiatives for IOR .