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For Prelims: Colombo Security Conclave, SAGAR Vision, QUAD grouping, SAARC For Mains: Indian Ocean Region, India and its Neighborhood. |
Why in the News?
The member states of the Colombo Security Conclave (CSC) have recently signed both the Charter and the Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to establish the CSC Secretariat in Colombo.
What is the Colombo Security Conclave?
About:
- The CSC is a regional security organization that includes India, Bangladesh, Sri Lanka, Maldives, and Mauritius.
Background:
- The CSC was established in 2011 as a trilateral maritime security group involving India, Sri Lanka, and the Maldives.
- Mauritius joined as a fourth member during the fifth meeting of national security advisers.
- Bangladesh and Seychelles participated as observers and have been invited to become members.
- The current members of the CSC are India, Bangladesh, Maldives, Mauritius, and Sri Lanka, with Seychelles serving as an observer nation.
Permanent Secretariat:
- Located in Colombo
Envisioned Goal: The primary aim of the CSC is to enhance regional security by tackling transnational threats and challenges that concern all member states. The main areas of collaboration to improve and fortify regional security are organized into the following five pillars:
- Maritime Safety and Security
- Counterterrorism and Prevention of Radicalization
- Addressing Trafficking and Transnational Organized Crime
- Cybersecurity, Safeguarding Critical Infrastructure, and Technology
- Humanitarian Assistance and Disaster Response
Significance:
- India’s Outreach: The CSC is viewed as India’s initiative to enhance regional cooperation and emphasize shared security goals in the Indian Ocean region.
- Countering China: The CSC aims to mitigate China’s influence in this strategically important area and reduce the Chinese presence in member countries.
- Maritime Security: With a coastline of approximately 7,500 kilometers and strategic islands, maritime security is a key priority for India, and the CSC plays a crucial role in addressing this concern.
- Alignment with SAGAR Vision: The grouping aligns with India’s vision of “SAGAR: Security and Growth for All in the Region” and complements India’s involvement in the QUAD grouping.
- Emerging Sub-regionalism: The collaboration among these six Indian Ocean countries represents a step towards developing sub-regionalism on a shared maritime and security platform, which is also significant in a broader global context.
- Associated Challenge: Despite the alignment of strategic interests among the six countries in the Indian Ocean Region (IOR), efforts to shape the CSC into an institution to counter China’s influence might face challenges similar to those experienced by the South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation (SAARC), which is often seen as ineffective.
Way Forward:
Importance of Regional Cooperation: Given the increasing security challenges and uncertainties in the Indian Ocean Region (IOR), there is a critical need for regional collaboration.
Success of CSC: The CSC is more likely to achieve success if it upholds a unified strategic vision and remains resilient to the expanding Chinese influence in the region.
Addressing Regional Dynamics: To prevent conflicts with its neighbors, India should recognize that the IOR is evolving into a global common area.
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