New Delhi: India on Thursday (November 20) called for creating a maritime security environment rooted in a rules-based order, while Bangladesh asserted a “zero tolerance” policy towards terrorism of all kinds and raised concerns over the growing impact of misinformation and disinformation.

These remarks were delivered at the seventh meeting of the Colombo Security Conclave (CSC)'s national security advisers held in New Delhi on Thursday. The gathering brought together counterparts from member states including the Maldives, Mauritius, Sri Lanka and Bangladesh.

The Seychelles attended as an observer state and agreed to become a full member, while Malaysia participated as a guest for the first time.

Addressing the delegates, national security adviser Ajit Doval emphasised the strategic importance of the Indian Ocean region and the need for collective action on maritime security. He noted that the regional security grouping has “gained immense significance today in the midst of a rapidly changing and challenging global security environment”.

Calling for a shared approach to safeguarding the region, he said: “We need to shape a favourable environment to nurture an open, inclusive maritime domain anchored firmly on a rule-based order. We also need to work closely for the preservation and use of our common maritime heritage.”

Bangladesh's Khalilur Rahman, in his country statement, stressed Dhaka's commitment to combating terrorism in all its forms while drawing attention to emerging security threats.

“We have a zero-tolerance policy towards all forms of terrorism, under any circumstance,” Rahman said. He emphasised Bangladesh's readiness to work collectively, saying the country looked to the conclave to “evolve into an open, inclusive regional multilateral organisation, driven by a vision of open regionalism”.

Notably, Rahman pointed to a new vulnerability facing the region. “Of late, we have been facing [a] constant barrage of misinformation and disinformation. We are committed towards securing our own cyberspace, critical infrastructure and technology,” he said, emphasising that “national actions are not enough”.

Rahman called for collective action from the conclave, stating that the CSC needed to “articulate and implement our collective actions in facing up to the challenges of cybersecurity, misinformation and disinformation”.

The Bangladesh caretaker government's focus on misinformation is rooted in India-Bangladesh tensions over accusations of communal violence following the collapse of the Sheikh Hasina government last year.

Bangladesh officials have dismissed allegations of widespread attacks on Hindus by the Indian government as unfounded, saying Indian news media and social media users are spreading misinformation and fuelling friction. The Muhammad Yunus government acknowledges that Hindus faced violent attacks after Hasina's ouster in August 2024, but officials contend the violence was motivated by politics, not religion.

The Bangladesh national security adviser's participation carries additional significance as only the second ministerial-level visit from Dhaka since the caretaker administration took over in August 2024. Rahman met with Doval on Wednesday ahead of the formal meeting to discuss the “work of CSC and key bilateral issues”.

The meeting took place just two days after Hasina, currently in exile in India, was sentenced to death for “crimes against humanity” in connection with atrocities perpetrated during the July 2024 uprising. It is not known whether this matter was discussed at the meeting.

The CSC's first secretary general presented a comprehensive review of activities undertaken since the conclave's last meeting in Mauritius in December 2023, according to an MEA statement. It stated that member states discussed ways to enhance cooperation through training and capacity-building initiatives and reaffirmed their commitment to strengthening regional security partnerships across the Indian Ocean.

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