New Delhi, February 17 The Indian Navy is set to host the fifth edition of the Goa Maritime Conclave on February 21, a premier platform that harnesses the collective wisdom and operational experience of security practitioners from the Indian Ocean Region (IOR) to generate practical solutions to contemporary maritime challenges.
The maritime domain in the IOR faces a "wide spectrum of traditional and non-traditional challenges", with significant implications for regional security and livelihoods, the defence ministry said on Tuesday.
"The transnational and multi-dimensional nature of these threats necessitates enhanced cooperation and effective collaborative mechanisms among partner countries," it said in a statement.
The fifth edition of the Goa Maritime Conclave (GMC 2026) is scheduled to be held at the Naval War College, Goa, on February 21.
"As a flagship strategic initiative of the Indian Navy, the conclave has evolved into a premier platform that harnesses the collective wisdom and operational experience of maritime security practitioners from the IOR to generate outcome-oriented ideas and practical solutions to contemporary maritime challenges," the ministry said.
Minister of State for Defence Sanjay Seth will be the chief guest at the event.
Navy Chief Admiral Dinesh K Tripathi will host chiefs of navies, heads of maritime forces, and senior representatives from 14 nations – Bangladesh, Comoros, Indonesia, Kenya, Madagascar, Malaysia, Maldives, Mauritius, Myanmar, Seychelles, Singapore, Sri Lanka, Thailand, and Tanzania.
The theme of this year's edition is 'Common Maritime Security Challenges in the IOR – Progressing Line of Efforts (LSOE) to Mitigate Dynamic Threats such as IUU Fishing and other Illegal Maritime Activities'.
"Threats such as maritime terrorism, contraband smuggling, Illegal, Unregulated and Unreported (IUU) fishing, piracy, armed robbery, and irregular migration continue to undermine the goal of safe and secure seas. Emerging challenges, including climate change, cyber threats, and dark shipping, further exacerbate these risks," it said.
The theme of the conclave reflects the vital need to synergise, collaborate, and coordinate efforts among maritime nations with critical stakes in the Indian Ocean Region.
The Goa Maritime Symposium (GMS) and Goa Maritime Conclave (GMC) were instituted in 2016 and 2017, respectively, to foster collaborative thinking and mutual understanding between India and key maritime nations of the IOR, in consonance with the vision of MAHASAGAR (Mutual and Holistic Advancement for Security and Growth Across Regions).
Through the GMC, engagement is undertaken with maritime neighbours to "identify critical areas of cooperation" and "chart common pathways" for holistic capacity building.
The GMC is conducted biennially and is preceded by GMS, which serves as a feeder event with working-level meetings among participating nations.
The conclave will feature deliberations by eminent speakers and subject-matter experts focusing on real-time exchange of maritime information and joint efforts to strengthen capacities and capabilities, the ministry said.
Admiral Arun Prakash (retd), former Chief of the Naval Staff, will deliver the keynote address.
The GMC continues to be an important forum for shaping and implementing collaborative solutions to maritime security challenges in the IOR, it said.