COLOMBO, March 2 (Xinhua) -- A Secretariat for Trilateral National Security Advisers (NSA) on Maritime Security Cooperation between India, the Maldives and Sri Lanka has been inaugurated at the Sri Lanka Navy headquarters in the capital Colombo, local media reported on Tuesday.

The Defence Ministry in a statement said that in keeping with the discussions held at the previous National Security Advisor (NSA)-level trilateral meetings on Maritime Security Cooperation with India and the Maldives, a Secretariat for Trilateral National Security Advisors on Maritime Security Cooperation was established in Colombo on Monday.

"The entire world is benefitted with this initiative, as the Indian Ocean is the lifeline of the entire world," said Sri Lanka's Foreign Secretary Admiral Jayanath Colombage during the event, while expressing his thoughts on the importance of the Indian Ocean.

According to the Navy Commander, the fully-fledged new secretariat would be operated 24 hours, all days of the week.

Sri Lanka's Defence Secretary Kamal Gunaratne, Foreign Ministry Secretary Admiral Jayanath Colombage, Navy Commander Vice Admiral Nishantha Ulugetenne and the Defence Attaches of India and the Maldives were present at the opening ceremony.

Sri Lanka hosted the fourth NSA-level trilateral meeting on Maritime Security Cooperation with India and the Maldives on Nov. 27 and 28, 2020 in Colombo while Bangladesh, Seychelles and Mauritius represented the meeting virtually as the observer states, the Defense Ministry said. Enditem

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