The Indian Ocean Naval Symposium (IONS), a voluntary initiative established to increase maritime cooperation among the navies of the littoral states of the Indian Ocean Region, marked its significant milestone with its 10th-anniversary celebrations. The commencement of the festivities was marked by the release of the commemorative ‘Special Cover’ in Kochi. This celebratory representation represents a geographical map of the Indian Ocean and the coastal countries of the Indian Ocean Region (IOR), solidifying the far-reaching geopolitical importance of this region.
IONS: An Open Forum for Maritime Discussion
IONS serves as an expansive and inclusive platform for discourse about maritime issues with regional relevance. This collaborative venture involves 36 littorals in the Indian Ocean that have been geographically categorised into four unique sub-regions.
The South Asian Littorals include nations such as Bangladesh, India, Maldives, Pakistan, Seychelles and Sri Lanka. West Asian Littorals feature Bahrain, Iran, Iraq, Kuwait, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, UAE and Yemen. East African Littorals envelope Comoros, Djibouti, Egypt, Eritrea, France, Kenya, Madagascar, Mauritius, Mozambique, Somalia, South Africa, Sudan and Tanzania. Lastly, South East Asian and Australian Littorals consist of Australia, Indonesia, Malaysia, Myanmar, Singapore, Thailand and Timor Leste.
History and Themes of IONS
IONS was inaugurated in New Delhi in 2008, with the central theme being “Contemporary Transnational Challenges – International Maritime Connectivities”. The symposium’s second avatar, IONS-2010, was hosted in Abu-Dhabi, with “Together for the Reinforcement of Maritime Security in the Indian Ocean” as its principal theme.
| Edition | Year | Location | Theme |
|---|---|---|---|
| IONS-2008 | 2008 | New Delhi | Contemporary Transnational Challenges – International Maritime Connectivities |
| IONS-2010 | 2010 | Abu Dhabi | Together for the Reinforcement of Maritime Security in the Indian Ocean |
Exercise INDRA 2018: An INDO-Russian Joint Effort
Executed under the auspices of the United Nations (UN), the joint military exercise between India and Russia titled EXERCISE INDRA 2018, aimed at combating insurgency was held at Babina Military Station, Jhansi. The main objective of this collaborative effort was to practice joint planning and conduct in order to enhance the interoperability of both Armies in a peacekeeping or enforcement environment.
Exercise Samudra Shakti: Strengthening Bilateral Relations with Indonesia
From November 12 to 18 in 2018, the inaugural edition of the Indian Navy – Indonesian Navy Bilateral Exercise ‘Samudra Shakti’ took place. The primary purpose of this interactive exercise was to reinforce bilateral relations, broaden maritime cooperation, improve interoperability, and exchange best practices.
