The sixth meeting of the Colombo Security Conclave, founded by India, Maldives and Sri Lanka in 2011, was held in the Indian Ocean nation of Mauritius on Thursday.
The five pillars of cooperation within the CSC encompass maritime safety and security, counterterrorism and counter-radicalisation initiatives, the combat against trafficking and transnational organised crime, cybersecurity and protection of critical infrastructure, as well as humanitarian assistance and disaster relief.
When the three countries met after six years in 2020, they agreed to expand the membership of the trilateral grouping. Mauritius joined the revived Colombo Security Conclave in March 2022, while Bangladesh and Seychelles have been taking part in the meetings as observers.
Maldives Vice President Hussain Mohamed Latheef is currently on a visit to Kunming to attend the ‘China-Indian Ocean Region Forum on Development Cooperation’. Last year, Maldives skipped the China forum on the Indian Ocean, with no official representation from the Maldivian government. This absence was a source of embarrassment for Beijing, which had claimed representation from Maldives.
This latest development occurs amidst indications that the new leadership in Maldives is actively reaching out to countries such as Turkey and China, possibly signaling a shift in its diplomatic ties, including those with India.
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