Panaji, February 21 Chief of Naval Staff Admiral Dinesh Tripathi inaugurated the Goa Maritime Conclave 2026 on Saturday, bringing together delegates from 14 Indian Ocean nations to address escalating regional challenges, including drug trafficking and illegal fishing.
Vice Admiral Sameer Saxena, Flag Officer Commander-in-Chief, Southern Naval Command, former Chief of Naval Staff Admiral Arun Prakash, and others were present during the inaugural session of the conclave, which focused on the theme "Common maritime security challenges in the Indian Ocean Region – Progressing lines of effort to mitigate dynamic threats."
The conclave is taking place amidst challenges such as illegal and unregulated fishing and drug trafficking, which impact regional stability.
Delegates from Indian Ocean countries, including Bangladesh, Indonesia, the Comoros, Malaysia, Kenya, Singapore, Madagascar, Thailand, Myanmar, the Maldives, Mauritius, Seychelles, Sri Lanka, and Tanzania, are attending the event.
Former Chief of Naval Staff Admiral Arun Prakash, in his keynote address, emphasized the need for sharper operational coordination and sustained regional synergy to effectively respond to emerging maritime threats.
"We need to consider the establishment of an illegal, unreported, unregulated fishing task force that can pull resources for real-time intelligence in the future," he said.
