IONS CONCLAVE (Syllabus: GS Paper 2 – IR)

Context: Recently, the 8th edition of the Indian Ocean Naval Symposium (IONS) Conclave of Chiefs (CoC) concluded in Bangkok, Thailand.

Indian Ocean Naval Symposium Conclave (IONS)

• About: The IONS is a voluntary initiative that unites navies from littoral states in the Indian Ocean Region (IOR).
• Objective: To boost maritime cooperation and bolster regional security.
• Response Mechanism: The initiative aims to create an effective response mechanism for crises and enhance capabilities for Humanitarian Assistance and Disaster Relief (HADR) during natural disasters.
• Composition: 24 member nations situated in or touching the IOR, along with 8 observer nations.

oMember nations are grouped into four sub-regions based on geographical proximity.

• South Asian Littorals: Bangladesh, India, Maldives, Pakistan, Seychelles, Sri Lanka, and the United Kingdom (British Indian Ocean Territory).
• West Asian Littorals: Iran, Oman, Saudi Arabia, and the United Arab Emirates.
• East African Littorals: France (Reunion), Kenya, Mauritius, Mozambique, South Africa, and Tanzania.
• South East Asian and Australian Littorals: Australia, Indonesia, Malaysia, Myanmar, Singapore, Thailand, and Timor-Leste.
• 7th Edition Held: France

Significance for India

• IONS aligns with India's strategic goals in the region.
• It supports India's ambitions of strengthening ties with IOR littoral states, establishing leadership, and fulfilling the vision of a rules-based and stable maritime order in the IOR.