Colombo Security Conclave Virtual Conference on Investigation of Terrorism Cases

What is the News?

The Colombo Security Conclave Virtual Conference on Sharing of experiences in the investigation of terrorism cases was organised by the National Investigation Agency(NIA) of India.

What is the Colombo Security Conclave(CSC)?

Formed in: 2011 as a trilateral maritime security grouping of India, Sri Lanka and the Maldives.

Aim: To provide a forum for greater maritime security cooperation and to address concerns such as human smuggling, narco-trafficking, piracy, terrorism, and extremism.

Members: India, Sri Lanka, Maldives and Mauritius.

Observers: Bangladesh and Seychelles

Pillars: The five pillars of cooperation are: 1) Maritime Safety and Security, 2) Countering Terrorism and Radicalization, 3) Combating Trafficking and Transnational Organized Crim, 4) Cyber Security, Protection of Critical Infrastructure and Technology and 5) Humanitarian Assistance and Disaster Relief.

Secretariat: Colombo, Sri Lanka.

What is the significance of CSC for India?

For India, CSC is important for multiple reasons: 

First, the CSC is a complement to its Indo-Pacific strategy for the broader region. 

Second, the CSC is a forum for India to bolster its neighbourhood diplomacy and act as a net security provider in the region. 

Third, the cross-naval collaboration among CSC members will yield indirect and cost-effective ways to strengthen traditional security cooperation.

What are the challenges to CSC?

Issue of power asymmetry: India is well-positioned in the region with geographical advantages and superior naval capabilities. But the CSC faces the same power distribution problem that led to the dormancy of the South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation(SAARC).

Diverse and Competing Interests: Developing consensus inside the CSC will be a significant challenge since the grouping comes with diverse and competing interests.

Source: This post is based on the article “Colombo Security Conclave Virtual Conference on Investigation of Terrorism Cases” published in Hindustan Times on 19th April 2022.