Maritime News, Goa, India : The 5th edition of the Goa Maritime Conclave (GMC-26) concluded successfully at the Naval War College, bringing together Chiefs of Navies and senior maritime leaders from 15 Indian Ocean Region (IOR) nations to reaffirm their shared commitment to cooperative maritime security.
Organised by the Indian Navy, the conclave was held under the theme “Common Maritime Security Challenges in the IOR – Progressing Lines of Efforts to Mitigate Dynamic Threats”, highlighting India’s continuing role as a convenor of structured maritime dialogue and an enabler of collaborative regional security architecture.
The conclave was conducted in consonance with the Prime Minister’s vision of MAHASAGAR – Mutual and Holistic Advancement for Security and Growth Across Regions, with a clear focus on actionable outcomes and implementation-oriented cooperation.
Strategic Focus on Emerging Maritime Threats
In his keynote address, Admiral Arun Prakash (Retd), former Chief of the Naval Staff, emphasised that the evolving maritime security environment demands synchronised regional responses grounded in real-time information exchange, institutional coordination and sustained capacity development.
He underlined that transnational challenges such as Illegal, Unreported and Unregulated (IUU) fishing, maritime trafficking networks and other non-traditional security threats require collective ownership and shared responsibility among IOR nations.
Session I: Information Sharing and Operational Coordination
The first session, moderated by Vice Admiral G Ashok Kumar (Retd), focused on strengthening real-time maritime information exchange and operational coordination to counter IUU fishing, drug trafficking and illegal maritime activities.
Speakers Rear Admiral TVN Prasanna and Colonel Amanulla Ahmed Rasheed highlighted the importance of:
- Strengthening Maritime Domain Awareness (MDA) networks
- Enhancing interoperability of information-sharing systems
- Establishing structured institutional linkages for rapid response across jurisdictions
The discussions reflected broad consensus on the need for coordinated, technology-enabled responses to dynamic maritime threats.
Session II: Capacity Building and Institutional Resilience
The second session examined collaborative pathways for capacity building and capability enhancement among maritime agencies of the IOR. Moderated by Admiral Karambir Singh (Retd), Chairman of the National Maritime Foundation, the session featured insights from Rear Admiral Srinivas Maddula and Captain Ranendra S Sawan, Senior Fellow at the Foundation.
Deliberations stressed:
- Pooling regional training resources
- Expanding professional exchange programmes
- Strengthening institutional frameworks for long-term maritime resilience
The session reinforced that sustainable maritime stability in the IOR depends on coordinated capability development and structured cooperation.
From Shared Awareness to Coordinated Action
The conclave concluded with addresses by Chiefs of Navies and Heads of Delegations, who articulated national perspectives on advancing collaborative Lines of Efforts to mitigate evolving maritime threats.
Admiral Dinesh K Tripathi, Chief of the Naval Staff, conveyed appreciation to all partner nations for their participation and enduring commitment to shared maritime security. He underscored that in an era of adaptive maritime challenges, regional partners must move decisively from shared awareness to coordinated action by leveraging technology, seamless information sharing and focused operations under the MAHASAGAR vision.
Strengthening India’s Role as a Regional Maritime Partner
The deliberations at GMC-26 reflected strong convergence on institutionalising cooperation mechanisms, enhancing collective capacity and reinforcing regional maritime partnerships.
In its fifth iteration, the Goa Maritime Conclave once again reaffirmed India’s commitment to fostering inclusive, consultative and action-oriented maritime cooperation in the Indian Ocean Region, with a shared resolve to uphold safe, secure and stable seas through sustained collaboration.
