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COLOMBO SECURITY CONCLAVE

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COLOMBO SECURITY CONCLAVE

Date: 3 December 2025

1. Why in News?

  • On 20 November 2025, India hosted the 7th NSA-level Colombo Security Conclave (CSC) summit.
  • India’s NSA Ajit Doval met his counterparts from:
    • Sri Lanka, Maldives, Mauritius, Bangladesh (full members)
    • Seychelles (observer, now to become full member)
    • Malaysia (guest participant)
  • The CSC is becoming an important forum for cooperation on security in the Indian Ocean Region (IOR)

WHAT IS COLOMBO SECURITY CONCLAVE?

  • CSC is a regional security platform for Indian Ocean countries.
  • It focuses mainly on maritime safety, counterterrorism, cybersecurity, and fighting transnational crime

How it evolved

  • 2011: Started as a trilateral group → India, Sri Lanka, Maldives
  • Later slowed due to political changes
  • 2020: Revived as CSC focusing on maritime and non-traditional security
  • 2022: Mauritius joined
  • 2024: Bangladesh became a full member
  • 2025: Seychelles being inducted as full member; Malaysia showed interest

CSC Secretariat → Colombo, Sri Lanka

OBJECTIVES OF CSC

CSC focuses on five security pillars plus marine pollution:

  1. Maritime Security
  2. Counterterrorism & De-radicalisation
  3. Combating Trafficking & Transnational Crime
  4. Cybersecurity & Critical Infrastructure Protection
  5. HADR (Humanitarian Assistance & Disaster Relief)
  6. Marine Pollution Response (additional area)

KEY ACHIEVEMENTS

A. Stronger Institution

  • Appointment of the first CSC Secretary-General
  • Progress on a CSC Training Academy

B. Better Operational Capacity

  • Joint exercises
  • Simulation drills
  • Training for coast guards
  • Indian hydrographers helping members map their waters

C. Improved Maritime Domain Awareness

  • Close integration with IFC–IOR
  • Better real-time intelligence and surveillance

D. Blue Economy Initiatives

  • Virtual Centre of Excellence (2025) to support sustainable use of marine resources.

E. Growing Regional Trust

  • More countries want to join the CSC framework

WHY IS 2025 MEETING IMPORTANT?

1. Expansion

  • Seychelles joined as a full member → shows strong regional trust in CSC.

2. India’s Deeper Engagement

  • India is strengthening ties with maritime neighbours, especially as China’s presence in the Indian Ocean is rising.

3. Security Focus

The summit highlighted growing importance of:

  • maritime security
  • joint cooperation
  • protecting Indian Ocean trade routes

4. Future Growth

  • Malaysia’s participation indicates CSC may continue expanding.

WHY IS IOR IMPORTANT?

Geography

  • Extends from Africa’s east coast to Australia’s west coast, including vital sea routes.

Key facts

  • 1/3 of the world’s population lives around it
  • 2/3 of global oil shipments move through it
  • It is India’s trade lifeline
  • India has a 4 million sq km EEZ here

Choke Points

Important narrow passages like:

  • Strait of Hormuz
  • Strait of Malacca
  • Bab-el-Mandeb

These make the region strategically crucial.

INDIA’S STRATEGY IN IOR

1. Policy Frameworks

  • Neighbourhood First
  • SAGAR (Security and Growth for All in the Region)
  • MAHASAGAR Doctrine (2025) → a broader, long-term vision

2. India as a Net Security Provider

India helps with:

  • counter-piracy patrols
  • fighting illegal fishing
  • maritime terrorism
  • information sharing (through IFC–IOR)

3. Close Ties with Littoral States

  • Especially with Sri Lanka, Maldives, Mauritius, Seychelles.

4. Strong Regional Leadership

Active role in:

  • IORA
  • IONS
  • BIMSTEC
  • QUAD
  • IPOI

5. HADR Leadership

  • India responds first during disasters.
  • Recent examples (2025):
    • Operation Sagar Bandhu in Sri Lanka (floods)
    • Operation Sadbhav in Myanmar, Laos, Vietnam (Typhoon Yagi floods)

CHALLENGES

1. Different Views on China

  • India sees China’s activities as a security challenge
  • Many CSC members see China mainly as an economic partner

This difference affects coordination.

2. Weak Institutional Structure

  • CSC works at NSA level only
  • No joint budget or permanent operational mechanism yet

3. Domestic Political Changes

  • Shifts in Maldives and Bangladesh affect stability
  • Anti-India campaigns can disrupt cooperation

4. Overlap with Other Forums

CSC members also belong to:

  • IORA
  • IONS
  • BIMSTEC

Lack of coordination reduces effectiveness.

WAY FORWARD

A. Strengthen CSC Institution

  • Hold meetings at Foreign Minister level
  • Create clearer mandates and stronger political backing

B. Create a CSC Fund

To support joint patrols, training, and MDA systems.

C. Form Permanent Task Forces

Under each security pillar.

D. Boost Joint Maritime Operations

  • Coordinated patrols
  • Anti-IUU fishing missions
  • HADR drills

E. Use Advanced Technology

  • Satellite surveillance
  • AI-based maritime tracking
  • Better integration with IFC–IOR

F. Handle China Carefully

  • Focus CSC on non-traditional security issues so the group stays united.

G. Link Development with Security

Work together on:

  • blue economy
  • climate resilience
  • early warning systems
  • fisheries management

H. Controlled Expansion

  • Let new countries join gradually as observers first.

 

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