The Colombo Security Conclave (CSC) successfully concluded its intensive three-day Table Top Exercise (TTX) on Friday at the Eastern Naval Command (ENC) in Visakhapatnam, focusing on joint responses to illicit maritime operations across the Indian Ocean Region (IOR). Organised to address emerging maritime vulnerabilities, the joint simulation brought together operational delegations and maritime security specialists from member countries and observer nations for over 72 hours of tactical drills.

Tackling Non-Traditional Maritime Threats

According to the Ministry of Defence, the simulated scenarios tested real-time coordination against complex, non-traditional maritime threats. Key focus areas included countering maritime terrorism, narcotics smuggling, human trafficking, and illegal, unreported, and unregulated (IUU) fishing across critical sea lines of communication.

The exercise was formally inaugurated on Wednesday with an opening address by Rear Admiral Manoj Jha, Chief Staff Officer (Operations) at the Eastern Naval Command. Throughout the tactical exercise, participating delegations evaluated existing Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) and formulated actionable mechanisms to streamline information-sharing protocols, thereby bolstering collective Maritime Domain Awareness (MDA).

Strategic Alignment with Vision MAHASAGAR

Defence officials highlighted that the successful execution of the exercise reaffirms the shared commitment of member states to preserve regional peace, stability, and blue economy prosperity. The conclave’s operational framework aligns closely with India’s overarching maritime vision of MAHASAGAR, which stands for Mutual and Holistic Advancement for Security and Growth Across Regions.

Notably, this exercise builds on the strategic momentum generated during the 7th National Security Advisor (NSA) level meeting held in New Delhi in November last year. During that high-level summit, Indian NSA Ajit Doval hosted counterparts and high-ranking security officials from member states including Bangladesh, the Maldives, Mauritius, and Sri Lanka, alongside Seychelles as an Observer State and Malaysia as a Guest nation.

The Five Pillars of Maritime Cooperation

The institutional architecture of the Colombo Security Conclave operates under five identified pillars of mutual cooperation established during previous ministerial convenings. These pillars comprise maritime safety and security; countering terrorism and radicalisation; combating trafficking and transnational organised crime; cybersecurity and protection of critical infrastructure; and humanitarian assistance and disaster relief (HADR).

At the previous ministerial review following the 6th NSA-level meeting in Mauritius, the inaugural Secretary General—appointed by India—presented an extensive roadmap on joint capacity building and operational synergy. Exercises such as the Visakhapatnam table-top simulation represent the functional translation of these high-level policy directives into frontline operational interoperability.

Looking ahead, member nations plan to expand multilateral joint surveillance, shared intelligence databases, and technical training modules to secure vital trade routes and maintain deterrence against non-state actors in the wider Indian Ocean.