NSA Doval to represent India in regional maritime dialogue with Sri Lanka, Maldives

India's National Security Advisor Ajit Doval will arrive in Sri Lanka for a high-level regional maritime dialogue beginning Friday, Lanka's military spokesman said on Thursday. Sri Lanka is set to host the fourth national security advisor trilateral meeting on maritime security cooperation with India and Maldives on November 27 and 28, military spokesman Brigadier Chandana Wickramasingha said.

The meeting is to take place after six years - the last meeting was held in New Delhi in 2014. Doval and Maldivian defence minister Maria Didi are expected to lead their respective delegations. There will be observers from Bangladesh, Mauritius and Seychelles, the military said.

The high-level engagement that covers a wide range of subjects is designed to initiate collective action on maritime security including 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.

Doval is also expected to hold bilateral talks with Sri Lanka Defence Secretary Kamal Gunaratne, official sources said. This would be Doval's second official visit to Sri Lanka this year. In January, Doval visited the island nation and discussed a range of bilateral issues, including strengthening cooperation in defence, intelligence sharing and maritime security with President Gotabaya Rajapaksa.

During his visit, India pledged USD 50 million assistance to Sri Lanka to help the country purchase equipment for its security forces. 

Image Credits: PTI