Navies of 14 Indian Ocean nations to meet in Goa to focus on shared maritime challenges

Panaji: The upcoming Goa Maritime Conclave, with the participation of navies from 14 Indian Ocean nations, is taking place amid challenges such as illegal and unregulated fishing and drug trafficking, which impact the regional stability, a senior naval official said.

Rear Admiral A D Nair, commandant of the Naval War College of Goa, told reporters in Panaji that the February 21 event will be held under the theme “Common maritime security challenges in the Indian Ocean Region - Progressing lines of effort to mitigate dynamic threats”.

The conclave, GMC-26, will bring together naval chiefs and senior representatives from 14 Indian Ocean countries, he said.

“The theme of GMC-26 is highly relevant to the current maritime security environment. Challenges such as illegal, unreported, unregulated fishing, narcotics trafficking, and other illicit activities directly impact economic security, environmental sustainability and regional stability,” said Nair.

He said that these threats often exploit jurisdictional gaps and require coordinated response rather than unilateral actions.

“For the Indian Ocean Region, characterised by dense maritime traffic and diverse stakeholders, the need for shared awareness and cooperative mechanisms has never been greater,” he said.

Indian Ocean countries, including Bangladesh, Indonesia, Comoros, Malaysia, Kenya, Singapore, Madagascar, Thailand, Myanmar, Maldives, Mauritius, Seychelles, Sri Lanka and Tanzania, would be attending the event.

Responding to a question, Nair said the primary outcome one foresees from GMC-26 is enhanced mutual understanding among participating nations regarding shared maritime challenges.

“For India, this reinforces its role as a preferred maritime security partner committed to regional stability. For the broader Indian Ocean Region, the conclave encourages information sharing, sharing of best practices and trust building,” he said.