NSA Maritime Security Meeting: 3 Countries Agree to Trilateral Cooperation

The trilateral 4th National Security Adviser (NSA) level meeting on ‘Maritime Security Cooperation’, held on Saturday November 28 at Colombo Hotel Taj Samudra with the participation of Mr. Ajit Doval, National Security Adviser of India, Ms. Mariya Didi, the Maldivian Defence Minister and Defence Secretary Maj. Gen. (retd) Kamal Gunaratne ended this afternoon agreeing to further strengthen cooperation in dealing with maritime challenges in the Indian ocean and to ensure peace and security in the region for the common benefit.

Foreign Affairs Minister Dinesh Gunawardena attended the inauguration ceremony as the Chief Guest. The Indian High Commissioner, The Maldivian Ambassador, Foreign Ministry Secretary Admiral (retd) Prof. Jayanath Colombage, Army Commander and Chief of Defence Staff Lieut. General Shavendra Silva, who is also the Head of the National Operations Centre for Prevention of COVID 19 Outbreak, the Navy and Air Force Commanders, Inspector General of Police, Director General Sri Lanka Coast Guard, Senior Officials of both Sri Lankan Foreign and Defence Ministries and Senior Military Officers were among those who attended the meeting.

Several experts in the field of maritime defence from India, Maldives and Sri Lanka, together with observers from Mauritius and Seychelles, India and the Maldives were represented during the sessions at 
Senior Officials’ level.

The forum, 4th in sequence took stock of the current maritime security environment in the region and the existing cooperation in the areas of Maritime Domain Awareness, Humanitarian Assistance and Disaster Relief, Joint Exercises, Capacity Building, Maritime Security and Threats, Marine Pollution and Maritime Underwater Heritage, Covid-19 challenges, etc. They agreed to further strengthen cooperation in dealing with these challenges, to ensure peace and security in the region for common benefit.

Defence Secretary Maj. Gen. Gunaratne delivered the welcome address and underlined the momentous importance of this sort of dialogue at trilateral level on a regular basis. The Minister of Foreign Affairs delivered the keynote address before sessions began while Presidential Advisor Lalith Weerathunga delivered the the closing remarks.

The three countries also exchanged views on common security threats and agreed to broad base cooperation by expanding the scope to improve intelligence sharing and include issues like terrorism, radicalization, extremism, drugs, arms & human trafficking, money laundering, cyber security and effect of climate change on maritime environment.

The Heads of Delegations agreed to meet regularly to share, discuss and ensure timely implementation of decisions taken at the Meeting. They also decided to hold Deputy NSA level working group meetings biannually for cooperation at operational level.