In keeping with the discussions held at the previous National Security Advisor (NSA)-level trilateral meetings on Maritime Security Cooperation with India and the Maldives, a Secretariat for Trilateral National Security Advisors on Maritime Security Cooperation was established at the Sri Lanka Navy (SLN) Headquarters, Colombo today (March 01).
Secretary, Ministry of Defence and State Ministry of National Security and Disaster Management Gen. Kamal Gunaratne (Retd), Foreign Ministry Secretary Admiral Prof. Jayanath Colombage (Retd), Navy Commander Vice Admiral Nishantha Ulugetenne and the Defence Attachés of India and Maldives were also present at the brief opening ceremony.
The entire world is benefitted with this initiative as the Indian Ocean is the lifeline of the entire world, said the Foreign Secretary Admiral Prof. Colombage during the event while expressing his concerns into the importance of the Indian Ocean.
According to the Navy Commander Vice Admiral Nishantha Ulugetenne, the fully-fledged new Secretariat would be operated 24/7.
Sri Lanka hosted the fourth NSA-level trilateral meeting on Maritime Security Cooperation with India and the Maldives on Nov 27 and 28, 2020 in Colombo while Bangladesh, Seychelles and Mauritius represented the meeting virtually as Observer States.
