Colombo Security Conclave maritime exercise concludes in Visakhapatnam

The Defence Ministry reported that a three-day Table Top Exercise (TTX) conducted under the Colombo Security Conclave (CSC) concluded on September 11 at Eastern Naval Command, Visakhapatnam, after opening on September 9 with an address by Rear Admiral Manoj Jha, Chief Staff Officer (Operations), Eastern Naval Command. Over more than 72 hours, delegations and maritime-security experts from CSC member and observer states worked through simulated scenarios built around developing a coordinated response to illicit maritime activities in the Indian Ocean Region. The interactions specifically addressed maritime terrorism, narcotics smuggling, human trafficking, and illegal, unreported and unregulated (IUU) fishing, while participants also reviewed information-sharing arrangements among the region's navies and coast guards. The Colombo Security Conclave is a regional grouping of Indian Ocean nations, anchored by India and Sri Lanka, that coordinates on maritime and broader security matters. This exercise reinforced that cooperation through a discussion-based simulation rather than a live field exercise - a format distinct from at-sea drills like Yudh Abhyas or Exercise Samudra Laksamana.