India and Sri Lanka are taking steps to fully formalise the Colombo Security Conclave, a key platform aimed at addressing shared security challenges in the Indian Ocean region, Indian Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri said.
Speaking on the initiative, Misri noted that both countries have been working for several years on developing innovative frameworks to respond to emerging regional security threats. He added that cooperation under the Conclave is already active at multiple levels and is now moving towards formal institutionalisation.
An interim secretariat has already been established in Colombo, serving as the headquarters of the Conclave. Progress has been driven through a series of meetings involving National Security Advisors and their deputies from member states, aimed at shaping the agenda, strengthening collaboration, and elevating the platform to the level of an international organisation.
According to Misri, agreements related to this process have largely been finalised, with only the headquarters agreement pending. He further stated that, by consensus, the first Secretary General of the Conclave will be an Indian national, with final approvals currently awaited due to pending procedural requirements in Sri Lanka.
He also highlighted that leaders of both countries discussed the importance of the Conclave in addressing regional security concerns, as well as the urgency of completing the remaining formalities to enable the organisation to operate at full capacity.
Misri expressed confidence that these outstanding steps would be completed soon, noting that a fully functional Conclave would benefit all member countries, particularly those along the Indian Ocean littoral.
