Tuesday Feb 17, 2026
Tuesday Feb 17, 2026
Tuesday, 17 February 2026 04:39 - - {{hitsCtrl.values.hits}}
The Pathfinder Foundation will convene the fourth Pathfinder Indian Ocean Security Conference today (17) and tomorrow, 18 February, bringing together diplomats, policymakers, strategic thinkers, academics, and practitioners to address emerging security, economic, and environmental challenges across the Indian Ocean Region (IOR).
Reitaku University, Japan Professor, The Sasakawa Peace Foundation Executive Director and former Assistant Chief Cabinet Secretary to Prime Minister Shinzo Abe Prof. Nobukatsu Kanehara will deliver the keynote address at this important regional forum. Former National Security Adviser to the Prime Minister of India Ambassador (Retd.) Shivshankar Menon, and Pathfinder Foundation Chairman Bernard Goonetilleke will serve as Co-Chairs.
Organised by the Pathfinder Foundation, an independent, non-partisan think tank known for its action-oriented policy research and advocacy, the biennial conference will continue to serve as a trusted Track 1.5 and Track II dialogue platform, fostering open and constructive engagement on strategic and security issues affecting Sri Lanka, South Asia, and the wider Indo-Pacific. The Pathfinder Indian Ocean Security Conference series, founded on the principles of the Free and Open Indo-Pacific (FOIP) concept and aligned with broader Indo-Pacific strategies, was launched in 2020. Since then, it has evolved into a well-recognised forum for examining maritime security, governance, and cooperation in the Indian Ocean Region. Previous sessions were held virtually in 2020 and 2022, and in a hybrid format in 2024. Participation is expected from Indian Ocean Rim Association (IORA) member states and Dialogue Partners, major maritime states, and international experts and stakeholders.
The Conference will focus on four key thematic areas: Connectivity Corridors in Competition: BRI, IMEC and Beyond; Digital Maritime Silk Roads: Submarine Cables, Data Security and Tech Rivalry; Seabed Minerals: Strategic Competition and Security Implications for the Indian Ocean; and Climate Change, Migration and Human Security in the Indian Ocean. An eminent panel of speakers from the region and beyond will contribute to the sessions. Discussions will examine how intensifying strategic competition, technological transformation, energy transitions, and climate-driven challenges are reshaping the Indian Ocean’s security landscape, and identify pathways for cooperation, resilience, and inclusive development.
The conference will be held in a hybrid format, allowing interested parties to follow the proceedings online. The link is available on PF’s social media platforms. Following the conference, a comprehensive report summarising the proceedings and policy recommendations will be shared with policymakers and stakeholders and made publicly available on the Pathfinder Foundation website. Reports from previous conferences in the series are available at pathfinderfoundation.org/publications.
