Biennial trilateral exercise ‘Dosti’ underway for stability of Indian Ocean Region

The 15th edition of the Maldives, India, and Sri Lanka biennial Trilateral Exercise ‘Dosti’ is underway in Maldives from 20-24 November as part of regional security formation for peaceful and stable Indian Ocean Region.

Indian Coast Guard vessels, ICGS Vajra, ICGS Apoorva and, Sri Lanka Coast Guard, SLCGS Suraksha have arrived in the Maldives for the exercise. This year marks 30 years since the initiation of the exercise.

The aim of India-Maldives-Sri Lanka Tri-Lateral Exercise ‘DOSTI’ is to further fortify the friendship, enhance mutual operational capability, and exercise interoperability and to build cooperation between the Coast Guards of Maldives, India and Sri Lanka.


The Exercises carried out over the past ten years have focused on exercises and drills on providing assistance in sea accidents, eliminating sea pollution, and the Coast Guard's procedure and conduct during situations such as oil spills.

Exercise Dosti was initiated in 1991, between Indian and Maldives Coast Guard. Sri Lanka joined the exercise for the first time in 2012.