India will be playing host to the Navy chiefs of 12 nations from the Indian Ocean Region next week at the annual maritime conclave to be held in Goa from Sunday. The third edition of the Goa Maritime Conclave (GMC-21) will include a three-day-long conclave on building working-level deliberations that took place earlier in the year during the Goa Maritime Symposium-21 in May.
The Navy has chosen maritime security as the official theme for the GMC 21. The theme will focus on 'Maritime security and emerging non-traditional threats: A case for a proactive role for IOR navies', derived keeping in mind the necessity of 'winning everyday peace' in the maritime domain.
Goa Maritime Symposium-21 was the Sherpa event for the GMC-21, the Navy announced in a statement noted.
"At the GMC-21, Indian Navy Chief Admiral Karambir Singh would be hosting Chiefs of navies or Heads of maritime forces from 12 Indian Ocean littorals, including Bangladesh, Comoros, Indonesia, Madagascar, Malaysia, the Maldives, Mauritius, Myanmar, Seychelles, Singapore, Sri Lanka and Thailand," it mentioned.
The participating Navy chiefs and heads of maritime forces will also dwell upon the significance of interoperability to effectively deal with emerging and future maritime security challenges in the Indian Ocean Region, it mentioned.
Defence Secretary Ajay Kumar and Foreign Secretary Harsh Vardhan Shringla will deliver the conclave address and the keynote address of the GMC-21.
The Indian Ocean Region has become the focus of the 21st-century strategic landscape and the GMC aims to bring together regional stakeholders and deliberate on the collaborative implementation strategies, the statement said.
"As part of the conclave, visitors would also be afforded an opportunity to witness India's indigenous shipbuilding industry at the 'Make in India Exhibition' and the capabilities of Deep Submergence Rescue Vessel for submarines at the Marmugao Port Trust, Goa," it said.
(With PTI inputs)
