Towards fostering friendly relations with India’s maritime neighbours, the Indian Navy, through the Naval War College, Goa is hosting the ‘Goa Maritime Symposium – 2018’ on 16th October 2018. The event, which is a follow-on to the maiden Goa Maritime Conclave held in 2017, is likely to be attended by senior naval officers and representatives from 16 Indian Ocean littoral countries, which include Indonesia, Malaysia, Singapore, and Thailand from South East Asia; Bangladesh, Myanmar, and Sri Lanka from India’s immediate neighbourhood: the island nations of Seychelles, Mauritius and Maldives; Oman in West Asia; and South Africa, Madagascar, Kenya, Tanzania and Mozambique from Africa.
Aimed at establishing academic excellence and sharing of ideas amongst India’s maritime neighbours, the symposium will facilitate interaction between senior representatives of navies and maritime agencies in the Indian Ocean Region on common issues of maritime interest. With the Indian Ocean becoming the locus of the 21st century strategic landscape, the symposium will play a constructive role in bringing together stakeholders that have a role in evolving strategies, policies and implementation mechanisms in the maritime domain.
Nestled in the lush environs of North Goa, the venue for the Conclave, INS Mandovi, and the adjoining, imposing Aguada Fort, are a fitting tribute to the rich maritime history, culture and traditions of Goa, which date all the way back to the second century BC. With its ties to the past and vista into the future, the venue will add a unique flavour to the planned deliberations.
The theme for the one day symposium is “Building Stronger Maritime Partnerships in IOR.” The focus of the symposium is on capacity building among IOR Navies to tackle emerging maritime threats, as well as discussing cooperative strategies for enhancing interoperability among partner maritime agencies. The event will witness eminent speakers articulating their views on these important issues, which will be followed by theme based discussions. Informal meetings and social engagements are also planned to build synergy and address common concerns with greater engagement, transparency and, more importantly, friendship.
The symposium will be inaugurated by Admiral Sunil Lanba.
