What is the Colombo Security Conclave?
- The Colombo Security Conclave is a regional security platform that brings together India, Bangladesh, Sri Lanka, Maldives, Mauritius, and Seychelles.
- Its central aim is to strengthen collective security by responding to shared transnational threats across the Indian Ocean Region.
- The grouping primarily connects National Security Advisers (NSAs) and Deputy NSAs for strategic coordination.
- The Permanent Secretariat of the Colombo Security Conclave is located in Colombo, enabling continuity and structured follow-up on decisions.
Evolution and Membership
- The grouping began as the Trilateral Maritime Security Cooperation mechanism between India, Maldives, and Sri Lanka in 2011.
- Dialogue stalled after 2014 due to strained India–Maldives relations but was revived and expanded in 2020 under the new name Colombo Security Conclave.
- Mauritius joined in 2022, followed by Bangladesh in 2024, and now Seychelles as the sixth member, marking the Conclave’s widening regional footprint.
Key Areas of Cooperation
The CSC focuses on coordinated action across five priority domains:
- Maritime safety and marine domain awareness.
- Counterterrorism and preventing radicalisation.
- Disrupting trafficking networks and transnational organised crime.
- Cybersecurity and safeguarding critical digital infrastructure.
- Humanitarian assistance and disaster relief, especially in the Indian Ocean Region.
