What is Colombo Security Conclave (CSC)?

About Colombo Security Conclave (CSC):

• It is a regional security grouping comprising India, Bangladesh, Sri Lanka, Maldives, and Mauritius.
• The CSC’s core objective is to promote regional security by addressing transnational threats and challenges of common concern to the Member States.
• Origin:
  • The CSC, initially known as the Trilateral for Maritime Security Cooperation, evolved out of trilateral meetings between National Security Advisors (NSAs) and Deputy NSAs from India, Maldives, and Sri Lanka, starting in 2011.
  • It came to a standstill after 2014 due to rising tensions between India and the Maldives. 
  • Since its revival and re-branding as the CSC in 2020, Mauritius and more recently, Bangladesh were added as members of the grouping.
• Current members of CSC include India, Bangladesh, Maldives, Mauritius, and Sri Lanka, while the Seychelles is an observer nation.
• CSC brings together NSAs and Deputy NSAs of the member countries.
• Cooperation under the conclave focuses on five pillars:
  • maritime safety and security
  • countering terrorism and radicalisation
  • combating trafficking and transnational organised crime
  • cyber-security and protection of critical infrastructure
  • humanitarian assistance and disaster relief.
• Permanent secretariat: Colombo

Q1: What is the Bay of Bengal Initiative for Multi-Sectoral Technical and Economic Cooperation (BIMSTEC)?

BIMSTEC is an economic bloc that came into being in June 1997 through the Bangkok Declaration. Its members are Bangladesh, India, Myanmar, Sri Lanka, Thailand, Nepal and Bhutan.

Source: Maldives joins India in Colombo Security Conclave, Dhaka stays away