What is Colombo Security Conclave (CSC)?

About Colombo Security Conclave (CSC)

• It is a regional security grouping comprising India, Sri Lanka, the Maldives and Mauritius.
• Origin:
  • The CSC initially known as the Trilateral for Maritime Security Cooperation, evolved out of trilateral meetings between 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 was added as a member of the grouping.
• Current members of CSC include India, Maldives, Mauritius, and Sri Lanka, while Bangladesh and Seychelles are the two observer nations.
• 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, and humanitarian assistance and disaster relief.
• A permanent secretariat, based in Colombo, was established in 2021 to coordinate all activities and implement decisions made at the NSA level.

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

It 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: The evolving role of the Colombo Security Conclave