Doval leads India's participation in tri-nation meet as Indian Ocean countries strengthen defence ties, cooperation

The tri-lateral meeting between India, hosts Sri Lanka and Maldives on maritime and security cooperation got underway in Colombo earlier today. India is being represented by National Security Advisor (NSA) Ajit Doval while Sri Lanka's Secretary of Ministry of Defence, Maj Gen (Retd) Kamal Gunaratne and Maldives Defence Minister Mariya Didi are also participating in the fourth edition of the NSA-level meeting.

The meeting will provide an opportunity for discussion on issues pertaining to cooperation in maritime security in the Indian Ocean region (IOR) and has served as an effective platform for cooperation among Indian Ocean countries.

<img class="wp-image-30905 size-large" src="https://indianarrative.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/11/DOVAL-IN-LANKA-NSA2-1024×450.jpg" alt="Doval in Lanka" width="1024" height="450" /> The 4th NSA Level Meeting on Trilateral Maritime Security Cooperation being hosted by Sri Lanka in Colombo

<img class="alignnone wp-image-30889 size-large" src="https://indianarrative.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/11/DOVAL-IN-LANKA-NSA1-1024×417.jpg" alt="Doval in Sri Lanka" width="525" height="214" />

Earlier meetings were held in Maldives (2011), Sri Lanka (2013), and India (2014). Mauritius and Seychelles attended the third meeting as guest countries. This is for the first time that the meeting is being held at the NSA level.

On the sidelines of the trilateral meeting, India's NSA is also expected to have other high-level bilateral engagements.

Doval, who arrived in Colombo Friday, was accorded a warm welcome by Lt Gen Shavendra Silva, the Acting Chief of Defence Staff and Commander of the Sri Lankan Army.

<img class="wp-image-30875 size-large" src="https://indianarrative.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/11/AJIT-DOVAL-IN-SRI-LANKA-1024×691.jpeg" alt="AJIT DOVAL LANKA" width="1024" height="691" /> India's National Security Advisor (NSA) Ajit Doval Doval being accorded a warm welcome by Lt Gen Shavendra Silva, the Acting Chief of Defence Staff and Commander of the Sri Lankan Army, in Colombo on Friday

Doval then met Sri Lankan Prime Minister Mahinda Rajapaksa in a meeting which was described by the Lankan leader as another exercise to "strengthen regional cooperation."

<img class="wp-image-30890 size-large" src="https://indianarrative.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/11/AJIT-DOVAL-IN-SRI-LANKA2-1024×630.jpeg" alt="Doval in Lanka" width="1024" height="630" /> National Security Advisor (NSA) Ajit Doval meets Sri Lankan Prime Minister Mahinda Rajapaksa in Colombo on Friday

<img class="alignnone size-large wp-image-30891" src="https://indianarrative.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/11/AJIT-DOVAL-IN-SRI-LANKA3-1024×798.jpeg" alt="Doval In Lanka" />

<img class="alignnone size-large wp-image-30892" src="https://indianarrative.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/11/AJIT-DOVAL-IN-SRI-LANKA4-1024×563.jpeg" alt="Doval in Lanka" />
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
<p dir="ltr" lang="en">The National Secutity Advisor of <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/India?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#India</a>, <a href="https://twitter.com/Ajitdovalkumar?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@Ajitdovalkumar</a> & I discussed areas to strengthen regional cooperation, particularly on the economic front, post the <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/COVID19?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#COVID19</a> crisis, at our meeting today. Finding solutions & minimizing economic impact on the region must be prioritized. <a href="https://t.co/ttyAQNiElD">pic.twitter.com/ttyAQNiElD</a></p>
— Mahinda Rajapaksa (@PresRajapaksa) <a href="https://twitter.com/PresRajapaksa/status/1332373815410581505?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">November 27, 2020</a></blockquote>
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Doval then had a one-on-one meeting with Sri Lanka's Defence Secretary Major Gen (Retd) Kamal Gunaratne. "NSA Ajit Doval met Major Gen (Retd.) Kamal Gunaratne, Defence Secretary of Sri Lanka and discussed matters pertaining to the growing defence and security partnership between the two countries. The two dignitaries agreed on several steps to further strengthen the valuable cooperation between two countries which also contributes to peace and security in the region," tweeted the Indian Embassy in Colombo.

<img class="wp-image-30893 size-large" src="https://indianarrative.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/11/AJIT-DOVAL-IN-SRI-LANKA5-1024×898.jpeg" alt="Doval in Lanka" width="1024" height="898" /> NSA Ajit Doval met Major Gen (Retd) Kamal Gunaratne, Sri Lanka's Secretary of Ministry of Defence in Colombo on Friday

Apart from the Defence Secretary of Sri Lanka, Doval also had a meeting with the Maldives Defence Minister Mariya Didi and held a detailed discussion on "deepening bilateral partnership between India & Maldives in defence and security."

<img class="alignnone size-full wp-image-30894" src="https://indianarrative.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/11/DOVAL-WITH-MALDIVES-DEFENCE-MINISTER.jpg" alt="Doval in Lanka" />

<img class="wp-image-30895 size-full" src="https://indianarrative.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/11/DOVAL-WITH-MALDIVES-DEFENCE-MINISTER1.jpg" alt="Doval in Lanka " width="1024" height="614" /> NSA Ajit Doval also held a detailed discussion with Maldives Defence Minister Mariya Didi on deepening bilateral partnership between India and Maldives in defence and security

 

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