Colombo, February 16 – The Pathfinder Foundation will convene the 4th Pathfinder Indian Ocean Security Conference on 17 and 18 February 2026, bringing together diplomats, policymakers, strategic thinkers, academics, and practitioners to address emerging security, economic, and environmental challenges across the Indian Ocean Region (IOR).
Prof. Nobukatsu Kanehara, Professor at Reitaku University, Japan, Executive Director, The Sasakawa Peace Foundation and former Assistant Chief Cabinet Secretary to Prime Minister Shinzo Abe, will deliver the Keynote Address at this important regional forum. Ambassador (Retd.) Shivshankar Menon, former National Security Advisor to the Prime Minister of India, and Ambassador (Retd.) Bernard Goonetilleke, Chairman of the Pathfinder Foundation, 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 & Beyond; Digital Maritime Silk Roads: Submarine Cables, Data Security & Tech Rivalry; Seabed Minerals: Strategic Competition & Security Implications for the Indian Ocean; and Climate Change, Migration & 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.
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