Importance of India, Maldives and SriLanka Trilateral Exercise Dosti
- For many years after it was first launched in 1991, these exercises were bilateral, involving the Indian and the Maldives Coast Guards. In 2012, Sri Lanka joined these exercises for the first time
- These exercises help during joint operations and missions undertaken by countries and also help enhance interoperability. .
About the Exercise:
- It is the 15th edition of the biennial trilateral coast guard exercise
- It involves India, the Maldives and Sri Lanka
- It is being held in the Maldives.
- This year marks the 30 years since these exercises were first launched.
- From Indian side, Coast Guard vessels, the ICGS Vajra and ICGS Apoorva joined the Sri Lanka Coast Guard, SLCGS Suraksha for this five-day exercise
- In the starting years, these exercises were bilateral, involving the Indian and the Maldives Coast Guards.
- In 2012, Sri Lanka joined these exercises for the first time and since then, it has been a trilateral exercise.
Aim :
- To fortify the friendship, enhance mutual operational capability, and exercise interoperability and to build cooperation between the Coast Guards of three countries
Importance:
- These exercises help during joint operations and missions undertaken by countries *It helps in enhancing interoperability
- It will help coast guards with training for possibilities of piracy in the Indian ocean
- These joint exercises helps with developing an understanding of various provisions and clauses of that state and the circumstances in which a nation can enter the zones in waters of other nations
Scope:
- These exercises helps to develop a better understanding of the other nation’s coast guard operations and how to enhance coordination during different kinds of missions
- For example: situations like maritime accident, or an ecological disaster like an oil spill
Security Context:
- These exercises will focus on “Four pillars” of security cooperation which involves the areas of marine security, human trafficking, counter-terrorism and cyber security.
Diplomatic Context:
- It will enhance bilateral ties between India and the Maldives.
- And also security and defence cooperation between these three countries.