New Delhi, Nov 3 (PTI) The Coast Guards of India and Sri Lanka held a key meeting on Tuesday, during which the two sides explored avenues for enhancing operational cooperation and strengthening ties in areas of search and rescue, and maritime law enforcement, the defence ministry said.
The 9th High-Level Meeting (HLM) between the Indian Coast Guard (ICG) and the Sri Lanka Coast Guard (SLCG) was held at Mirissa in Sri Lanka, the ministry said in a statement.
The Indian delegation was led by ICG Director General Paramesh Sivamani and the Sri Lankan side was led by SLCG Director General Rear Admiral Ruwan Rupasena.
"The meeting focused on strengthening bilateral cooperation in key areas of mutual interest, including marine pollution response, maritime search and rescue (SAR), and maritime law enforcement," the defence ministry said.
Discussions also explored avenues for enhancing capacity building and technical assistance initiatives to further strengthen operational cooperation between the two Coast Guards, it said.
During the deliberations, both delegations reaffirmed their commitment to working closely towards addressing emerging maritime challenges and enhancing cooperation in ensuring maritime safety, security and environmental protection across the shared maritime domain, it added.
According to the statement, the meeting highlighted the shared resolve of the ICG and the SLCG to further strengthen bilateral engagement, promote coordinated responses to maritime contingencies and advance regional cooperation for a safe, secure and clean maritime environment in the Indian Ocean Region.
