India, Sri Lanka, Maldives Conduct Joint Exercise On Maritime Security
Colombo: A two-day trilateral maritime drill conducted by the coast guards of India, Sri Lanka and the Maldives to bolster security in the Indian Ocean, enhance mutual operational capability and exercise interoperability between these three countries culminated in the Maldives on Sunday, the Indian High Commission said.
The 15th edition of the trilateral engagement termed
"Dosti" is conducted biennially, and 2021 marks 30 years since these
maritime drills were first introduced.
However, it began primarily as a bilateral engagement,
involving only Indian and Maldives Coast Guards. Sri Lanka joined in 2012 to
make it a trilateral exercise.
"The two-day exercise under the aegis of Colombo
Security Conclave (CSC) is a pioneering effort to collaborate efforts towards
the Pillar of Maritime Security", the Indian High Commission in Colombo
said in a statement.
Navies of #India, #SriLanka and #Maldives participated in
Focused Operations to tackle #MARSEC Challenges in the region, under the aegis
of Colombo Security Conclave. pic.twitter.com/6JVgrSczQR
The CSC Focused Operations are aimed at streamlining
Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) and enhanced interoperability amongst the
three navies.
The Indian Navy was represented by INS Subhadra Offshore
Patrol Vessel and P8I Long Range Maritime Patrol Aircraft, while SLNS Samudura
and MNDF Maritime Reconnaissance Aircraft Dornier are participating from Sri
Lanka Navy and Maldives National Defence Forces respectively, the statement
said.
The two-day operation had a platform for coordinated
maritime surveillance in the respective Exclusive Economic Zones for counter
narcotics, search and rescue at sea, air tracking and establishing effective
communication
The aim of India-Maldives-Sri Lanka tri-lateral exercise
'Dosti'' is to further fortify the friendship, enhance mutual operational capability,
and exercise interoperability and to build cooperation between the Coast Guards
of Maldives, India and Sri Lanka," the Indian High Commission in the
Maldives said.
Both the Maldives and Sri Lanka hold considerable strategic
importance to India's maritime security interests
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