Top security officials of India, the Maldives, Mauritius and Sri Lanka discussed maritime safety, countering terrorism and combating transnational crime at a meeting on Thursday.
The meeting of deputy national security advisers of the Colombo Security Conclave was hosted by India’s National Security Council Secretariat in Kochi. Delegations from Bangladesh and Seychelles participated as observers.
According to a statement from the external affairs ministry, the officials discussed the implementation of the roadmap for cooperation during 2022-23 and decisions made at the NSA-level meeting of the Colombo Security Conclave in March in the Maldives.
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The discussions focused on 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.
Since last year, the Colombo Security Conclave has been playing an increasingly important role in fostering security cooperation between India and its neighbours in the Indian Ocean.
Among those who participated in the meeting were India’s deputy national security adviser Vikram Misri, the Maldives’ foreign secretary Ahmed Latheef, Mauritius’ principal coordinator for security matters, Yoidhisteer Thecka, and Gen Shavendra Silva, Chief of Defence Staff of Sri Lanka.
{{/usCountry}}Among those who participated in the meeting were India’s deputy national security adviser Vikram Misri, the Maldives’ foreign secretary Ahmed Latheef, Mauritius’ principal coordinator for security matters, Yoidhisteer Thecka, and Gen Shavendra Silva, Chief of Defence Staff of Sri Lanka.
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The Secretariat of CSC in Colombo was represented by acting secretary MH Nishantha Peiris, director of naval operations and foreign naval cooperation.
The delegation from Bangladesh was led by Lt Gen Waker Uz Zaman, principal security officer of the division of the armed forces. Seychelles was represented by Simon Archange Dine, chief of staff of the defence forces.