India and Sri Lanka Coast Guards Hold 9th Meeting at Mirissa

The ninth High-Level Meeting (HLM) between the Indian Coast Guard and the Sri Lanka Coast Guard took place at Mirissa in Sri Lanka on 3 November 2026. The High-Level Meeting is the senior institutional channel between the two sea-going forces, and this round was used to widen their working relationship in the waters the two countries share.

Who led the two delegations

The Indian side was led by Paramesh Sivamani, Director General of the Indian Coast Guard. The host delegation was headed by Rear Admiral Ruwan Rupasena, Director General of the Sri Lanka Coast Guard. Both chiefs took part in the deliberations with their senior officers.

What the two sides took up

• Response to marine pollution, an area where the two forces work along a shared coastline.
• Search and rescue at sea, known as SAR, where a distress call often needs both services to act together.
• Enforcement of maritime law, which covers policing activity in the waters of the two countries.
• Steps to expand capacity building and technical assistance, so that cooperation between the two services becomes stronger at the operational level.

The commitments made

Both delegations renewed their pledge to work closely on maritime challenges as they emerge, and to improve the safety and security of the sea along with protection of its environment across the maritime space the two neighbours use in common. The meeting recorded a shared resolve to deepen bilateral engagement, to make responses to emergencies at sea better coordinated, and to carry regional cooperation forward for a maritime environment in the Indian Ocean Region that is safe, secure and clean.

Why it counts

For aspirants the value of this item lies in its details rather than its length. The edition number, the host country and town, and the names and ranks of the two service chiefs are the facts a paper setter can turn into a question, and the subjects listed for discussion show the kind of work a coast guard does, which is distinct from that of a navy: pollution response, rescue of those in distress and enforcement of law at sea rather than warfighting. The Indian Coast Guard functions under the Ministry of Defence, and meetings of this kind are its standing channel with counterpart services in the neighbourhood.