The 17th edition of the trilateral maritime exercise DOSTI-17, involving the Maldives, India and Sri Lanka, has officially commenced in the Maldives, aimed at strengthening regional maritime cooperation and operational coordination in the Indian Ocean.

The exercise was formally inaugurated on 17 January at a ceremony held in Malé, with Minister of Defence Mohamed Ghassan Maumoon officiating as chief guest. The event brought together senior officials from the Maldives National Defence Force (MNDF) Coast Guard including Chief of Defence Force Major General Ibrahim Hilmy, Vice Chief of Defence Force, Brigadier General Ahmed Ghiyas, Director General’s from the Indian Coast Guard and the Sri Lanka Coast Guard, alongside Government ministers, senior defence officials and foreign diplomats.

Speaking at the ceremony, Director General of the Sri Lanka Coast Guard Admiral Rohan Joseph said Exercise DOSTI plays a vital role in ensuring maritime safety and security in the Indian Ocean region. He noted that the long-standing joint exercise has strengthened trust, cooperation and coordination among the participating countries, enabling them to respond to complex challenges at sea, including maritime security threats and transnational crimes such as drug trafficking.

Admiral Joseph also highlighted the strategic importance of the Indian Ocean as a major route for global trade and energy, warning that threats to the region’s maritime security could have far-reaching economic consequences.

Director General of the Indian Coast Guard Admiral Harmesh Sharmani, addressing the ceremony, emphasised the close and friendly relations among the countries of the region, shaped by decades of cooperation, trade and cultural exchange. He said the Indian Ocean is central to global maritime trade and energy movement, adding that safeguarding the region requires collective responsibility.

Admiral Sharmani also underscored the broader role of coast guards, noting that their responsibilities extend beyond maritime security to include environmental protection and humanitarian assistance, linking ocean wellbeing to societal prosperity.

According to the MNDF Coast Guard, Exercise DOSTI-17 is being conducted in the Maldives from January 17 to 19 and includes joint maritime activities such as search and rescue operations, maritime surveillance, interdiction drills, communication training and marine pollution response exercises. This year’s exercise places strong emphasis on practical joint training, information sharing and interoperability among the participating forces.

The MNDF Coast Guard has advised mariners and travellers to exercise caution during the exercise period due to increased maritime activity in designated areas.

Exercise DOSTI was first initiated in 1991 as a bilateral engagement between the Maldives and the Indian Coast Guard, before expanding into a trilateral framework in 2012 with the inclusion of the Sri Lanka Coast Guard. Since then, it has remained a key platform for strengthening regional maritime cooperation and preparedness in the Indian Ocean.