Panaji, Feb 17 (IANS) Minister of State (MoS) for Defence, Sanjay Seth, will join maritime security experts from the Indian Ocean Region (IOR) in generating solutions to contemporary challenges at the fifth edition of Goa Maritime Conclave (GMC-26) on February 21, an official said on Tuesday.

Scheduled to be held at the Naval War College in Goa, Admiral Dinesh K. Tripathi, Chief of the Naval Staff, will host Chiefs of Navies, heads of maritime forces, and senior representatives from 14 nations at the event, the official said in a statement.

The theme of this year’s edition is ‘Common Maritime Security Challenges in the IOR — Progressing Line of Efforts to Mitigate Dynamic Threats such as IUU Fishing and other Illegal Maritime Activities’, the statement added.

The theme reflects the vital need to synergise, collaborate, and coordinate efforts among maritime nations with critical stakes in the Indian Ocean Region, the statement said.

Chiefs of navies, heads of maritime forces, and senior representatives from Bangladesh, Comoros, Indonesia, Kenya, Madagascar, Malaysia, Maldives, Mauritius, Myanmar, Seychelles, Singapore, Sri Lanka, Thailand, and Tanzania are expected to take part in the Conclave, it added.

The conclave will feature deliberations by eminent speakers and subject-matter experts focusing on real-time exchange of maritime information and joint efforts to strengthen capacities and capabilities.

Admiral Arun Prakash (Retd), former Chief of the Naval Staff, will deliver the keynote address.

The Goa Maritime Symposium (GMS) and Goa Maritime Conclave (GMC) were instituted in 2016 and 2017, respectively to foster collaborative thinking and mutual understanding between India and key maritime nations of the IOR, in consonance with the vision of MAHASAGAR (Mutual and Holistic Advancement for Security and Growth Across Regions).

The Conclave continues to be an important forum for shaping and implementing collaborative solutions to maritime security challenges in the Indian Ocean Region.

The maritime domain in the IOR faces a wide spectrum of traditional and non-traditional challenges, with significant implications for regional security and livelihoods.

Threats such as maritime terrorism, contraband smuggling, Illegal, Unregulated and Unreported (IUU) fishing, piracy, armed robbery, and irregular migration continue to undermine the goal of safe and secure seas.

“Other emerging challenges, including climate change, cyber threats, and dark shipping, further exacerbate these risks. The transnational and multidimensional nature of these threats necessitates enhanced cooperation and effective collaborative mechanisms among partner countries,” the statement said.

–IANS

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