- Why in news
- A three-day Table Top Exercise under the Colombo Security Conclave ended at Eastern Naval Command, Visakhapatnam, on 11 Sep 2026. It began on 09 Sep 2026 and dealt with a coordinated response to illicit maritime activities in the Indian Ocean Region.
- What it is
- The Colombo Security Conclave is a regional security grouping of Indian Ocean states. It began as a trilateral maritime security forum of India, Sri Lanka and the Maldives, and later added more members. It works on maritime safety, counter-terrorism, trafficking, cyber security and humanitarian assistance.
- Exercise theme
- The theme was a coordinated response to illicit maritime activities in the Indian Ocean Region.
- Participants
- Delegations came from CSC member states and observer nations.
- Threats covered
- The scenarios covered maritime terrorism, narcotics smuggling, human trafficking and IUU fishing.
- Outcome
- Participants reviewed SOPs and streamlined information sharing to improve Maritime Domain Awareness.
- Policy link
- The release ties the exercise to India's MAHASAGAR vision.
Don’t confuse with Table top exercise vs field exercise: A table top exercise is a discussion-based simulation of scenarios. A field exercise deploys ships, aircraft or troops at sea or on land.
Don’t confuse with MAHASAGAR vs SAGAR: SAGAR (Security and Growth for All in the Region) was India's earlier Indian Ocean vision. MAHASAGAR is the newer, broader framing named in the release.
International bodies and relations: the largest group of news questions in Prelims (61 since 2013), often about background, members and location. In Mains, 27 news-triggered questions, mostly on India's interests.
Why it matters
- Builds shared procedures and trust among Indian Ocean states against non-traditional maritime threats.
- Supports India's role as a net security provider in the Indian Ocean Region.
Problems
- Members differ in naval capacity and in their strategic ties with outside powers.
- Information sharing is limited by sovereignty and trust concerns.
Way forward
- Move from table top drills to regular joint operational exercises and patrols.
- Strengthen common maritime domain awareness through shared information networks.
Put in your answer
Non-traditional threats: The exercise covered maritime terrorism, narcotics, human trafficking and IUU fishing, examples of non-traditional maritime security challenges in the IOR.
MAHASAGAR: MAHASAGAR is cited as the policy vision guiding India's maritime cooperation with regional partners.
- 2025Mains GS3 · Q20Why maritime security matters for India's sea trade; discuss challenges and way forward
- 2022Mains GS3 · Q10Maritime security challenges in India and organisational, technical, procedural initiatives taken
- 2024Mains GS2 · Q20Maldives' geostrategic importance for India's maritime security and regional stability
- 2015Prelims Q67Whether IOR-ARC was recently established for piracy and maritime security only
- 2017Prelims Q68Facts about IONS: inaugural 2015 chairmanship and voluntary naval cooperation among littorals
UPSC’s own questions that come close to this issue, from our Prelims and Mains banks.
No practice question for this one; the card may still help an answer. Why: Lasting maritime security grouping in the Indian Ocean; the release gives few testable facts such as members or a date, so no question is likely.
Worth revising until Prelims 2028: most news questions come within two years of the event.