The fifth edition of the Goa Maritime Conclave 2026, organized by the Indian Navy, began today at the Naval War College, Verem.
The theme of the conclave is the Indian Ocean Region: Addressing Evolving Maritime Challenges – Progressive Efforts to Mitigate Dynamic Threats. Discussions focused on strengthening cooperative mechanisms and partnerships to address emerging maritime challenges in the Indian Ocean Region.
Key issues included drug trafficking, human trafficking, security threats, illegal fishing, and the need for greater coordination among neighboring countries on maritime security. The deliberations also covered strategic planning, the use of satellite systems, closer monitoring of maritime developments, the creation of naval task forces, and operational guidance.
Chiefs of the Naval Staff and senior maritime leaders from 14 partner nations are participating in this mega event. Former Chief of the Naval Staff, Admiral Arun Prakash, highlighted the rising maritime security challenges. He stated that the Indian Ocean carries half of global container traffic and two-thirds of oil shipments, making it vital for global trade and data flows. He called for enhanced maritime domain awareness, legal convergence, and regional cooperation to keep the ocean open, secure, and sustainable.
Admiral Prasanna highlighted shared threat perceptions, enhanced maritime domain awareness, legal and regulatory convergence, coordinated intelligence-led operations, and capacity building. Colonel Amanulla Ahmed Rasheed, representing the Maldives, stressed the need for integrated sensor networks, real-time regional maritime domain awareness mechanisms, joint training and exercises, capacity building, and legal harmonization.
