New Delhi: National Security Advisor Ajit Doval met Defence Minister of Maldives Mariya Didi and held a cordial and detailed discussion on deepening bilateral partnership with the island nation in the Indian Ocean. Doval’s talks with Didi was part of a trilateral maritime dialogue among India, Sri Lanka, and the Maldives being held in the Sri Lankan capital.
NSA Ajit Doval arrived in Colombo for trilateral India-Sri Lanka-Maldives consultations on maritime and security cooperation. Sri Lanka is hosting the fourth national security advisor trilateral meeting on maritime security cooperation with India and the Maldives. The meeting is taking place after six years – while the last meeting was held in New Delhi in 2014.
The high-level participation covers a wide range of subjects and is structured to initiate collective action on maritime security. It includes maritime domain awareness, legal regimes, train in search and rescue, maritime pollution response, information sharing, curbing piracy drugs arms, and contraband trafficking in the Indian Ocean region.
“The meeting will provide an opportunity for discussion on issues concerning the cooperation in maritime security in the Indian Ocean region,” the MEA said in a statement. The meeting is taking place intervening in China’s attempts to spread its influence in the Indo-Pacific region.