The trilateral meet will see discussions on maritime security cooperation in the Indian Ocean region and will be attended by NSA Ajit Doval.
India, Maldives, and Sri Lanka trilateral meet will take place after a gap of 6 years in Colombo on November 27 and 28. The trilateral meet will focus on maritime security cooperation in the Indian Ocean region.
India will be represented by National Security Advisor (NSA) Ajit Doval. This is the first foreign visit by the NSA amidst the COVID pandemic.
Sri Lanka is being represented by its defence secretary, Major General Kamal Gunaratne and the Maldives by defence minister Mariya Didi. This is the fourth such meeting of the three countries.
The first India, Maldives, Sri Lanka trilateral took place in 2011 in the Maldives, the second in Sri Lanka in 2013, and the third meet in India in 2014.
While making the announcement, the Ministry of External Affairs called it an "effective platform for cooperation among Indian Ocean countries."
It will provide an "opportunity for discussion on issues pertaining to cooperation in maritime security in the Indian Ocean region," it added.
Bangladesh, Mauritius, and Seychelles, who are observer members of the trilateral, are expected to participate in the meet.
The foreign ministry of Maldives said that it will see discussion on the "most pressing issues surrounding maritime security in the Indian Ocean region."
The meet happens in the backdrop of an increased presence of Chinese vessels in the Indian ocean, which is a worrisome factor for several countries in the region. The Chinese vessels have been found indulging in Illegal, Unreported and Unregulated (IUU) activities apart from being a security issue.
The Indian Ocean region is a witness to about 80 per cent of world trade, with a substantial amount of oil trade passing through its waters. It has four choke points, the most important being the strait of Malacca, which if disrupted, can lead to a disruption in global trade.
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