EVOLVING ROLE OF COLOMBO SECURITY CONCLAVE (CSC) from Vajirao & Reddy Institute

EVOLVING ROLE OF COLOMBO SECURITY CONCLAVE (CSC)

• Recently, India’s National Security Adviser (NSA), Ajit Doval represented India in sixth NSA meeting of the Colombo Security Conclave (CSC).

• The meeting was focussed on reviewing the developments made by the group in the last year.
• Member states also agreed upon a road map for year 2024 to promote a safe, secure, and stable Indian Ocean.
• The meeting included member-states, Mauritius and Sri Lanka, and  also observer-states, Bangladesh and Seychelles.
• Ideologically impacted by domestic politics, Maldives was the only member-state that was absent.

• The Colombo Security Conclave was created in 2011 as a trilateral maritime security grouping of three countries namely India, Sri Lanka and the Maldives.
• Later, Mauritius joined as the fourth member and Bangladesh & Seychelles were given observer status.
• The Conclave emphasizes on regional cooperation and shared security objectives impacting all littoral nations in the Indian Ocean Region.
• The aims of the CSC includes maritime security, marine pollution response and maritime search & rescue priorities for the region.

• The conclave aids in fostering a better understanding and interoperability among the security agencies of the member states for safe and secure Indian Ocean Region.
• The conclave conducts "CSC Focused Operation" which plays a important role in ensuring the safety and security of the Indian Ocean for commercial shippings, international trade, and the execution of legitimate maritime activities.
• Cooperation under the CSC focuses on five pillars. They are as follows:

1. Maritime safety and security.
2. Countering terrorism and radicalisation.
3. Combating trafficking and transnational organised crime.
4. Cyber security and protection of critical infrastructure and technology.
5. Humanitarian assistance and disaster relief (HADR).

• The CSC’s limited membership and scope has been its biggest drawback since its inception.
• Regional countries not considering China as a threat weakens the conclave and India’s priorities.
• Small and regional nations are too dependent on China to have an overt anti-China policy.
• CSC, still a young institution, remains vulnerable owing to domestic political shuffle in its member-states. The absence of Maldives from the recent meeting is an example of this vulnerability.
• As all the members of the CSC are democracies, and these countries play and will continue to use both the cards for their domestic and external benefits as the Indo-Pacific region grows in prominence.
• China’s focus is to control the crucial sea lines of communication and trade in IOR, aimed to limit India’s influence and presence.
• China, through its platforms such as the Indian Ocean Region Forum on Development Cooperation aims to counter the prevailing security architecture in the Indian Ocean by marking its presence in the region. Thus, undermining the role and potential of CSC.

• India’s vision of Security and Growth for All in the Region (SAGAR) and neighbourhood first policy are the prime initiatives for IOR and bears testimony to India’s commitment to the region.
• CSC offers India an opportunity to strengthen its leadership and security architecture.
• India since its independence has continuosly played an role in promoting security in the Indian Ocean.
• The lack of capacity of island nations to secure the seas and counter transnational threats such as sea-piracy etc has constantly motivated India to assist them in defence and security-related capacity building and infrastructure development.
• India also played a vital role as the first responder in the region, be it to avert coups or to offer humanitarian and economic assistance during COVID-19 and multi-faceted crises.
• For New Delhi, whose ambitions, responsibilities, and threats have increased significantly in the last decade, the CSC will remain an important instrument to help it consolidate its regional leadership.

• As seen China is not only busy in strengthening its naval capabilities but it also maintains strong defence relationships with states in the Indian Ocean region and also conducts regular maritime exercises in the Ocean to mark its significance.
• China establishing a base in Djibouti and controling Sri Lanka’s Hambantota port shows the importance of IOR in China’s maritime policy.
• CSC investigating terrorism and terror financing, narcotics trafficking, cybercrime and security, marine pollution, maritime law, and coastal security are the right steps towards consolidating its position in the region.
• In 2022, for the first time, the organisation held a conference of oceanographers and hydrographers and another conference on coastal security.
• CSC has also established a mechanism of Joint working groups on terrorism, cyber-security, humanitarian aid and disaster relief (HADR), trafficking and transnational organised crimes.
• The member states are also collaborating on capacity-building in sectors such as counter-terrorism, police, law enforcement, and cyber-security apart from regular NSA and Deputy NSA meetings.