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Chief of Naval Staff Admiral Dinesh Tripathi on Saturday said that any proposed joint maritime mechanism in the Indian Ocean Region (IOR) would be based on consensus among participating nations, assuring India's support for partner countries in capacity-building efforts. Addressing a press conference on the sidelines of the Goa Maritime Conclave (GMC) 2026, Admiral Tripathi said the first session of the conclave involved discussions regarding enhanced cooperation among IOR nations, including the possibility of a joint task force-type arrangement. "The GMC is based on consensus. There has to be a consensus among all nations. All of us have different capabilities, so what everyone brings to the table has to be taken into consideration," he said. The Navy chief noted that the idea of closer operational cooperation was well accepted and said modalities of a joint task force would have to be worked out collectively. He highlighted a previous initiative, referring to Indian Ocean Ship (I