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India on Friday assumed the Chairmanship of the Indian Ocean Naval Symposium (IONS) during the 9th Conclave of Chiefs in Visakhapatnam, marking India’s return to the helm after 16 years, underlining New Delhi’s growing role in shaping maritime cooperation in the Indian Ocean Region.
This event brought together Chiefs of Navies and Heads of Maritime Security Agencies from 33 countries, including IONS Member States, Observers, and other nations bordering the Indian Ocean.
Announcing the development, Vice Admiral Tarun Sobti, Deputy Chief of Naval Staff, said India is ready to shoulder greater responsibility as it takes charge of the forum. Addressing reporters on the sidelines of the conclave, he said many nations share the region’s maritime challenges and require closer coordination among navies.
Sobti underlined the need for better interoperability, structured communication mechanisms, and coordinated responses to address evolving security concerns across the Indian Ocean. According to him, forums such as IONS help navies align operational approaches and exchange perspectives on emerging threats.
India had earlier held the inaugural chairmanship of the forum from 2008 to 2010. With the chair returning to New Delhi, the leadership emphasised building on the framework that has since evolved into a central platform for professional maritime collaboration among navies of the Indian Ocean.
Admiral Dinesh K Tripathi, Chief of the Naval Staff and Chair of IONS, outlined a forward-looking approach aimed at strengthening the forum’s functional relevance. He stressed that the three working groups – Maritime Security, Humanitarian Assistance and Disaster Relief, and Information Sharing and Interoperability – will remain the principal drivers of cooperation during India’s tenure.
IONS, a voluntary initiative of navies from the littoral states of the Indian Ocean, was created to deepen maritime cooperation and dialogue on issues affecting the region. Over the years, it has developed into a platform where naval leaders and professionals exchange information, build trust and work toward practical cooperation at sea.
Key developments during the conclave included the launch of an upgraded IONS website by the Indian Navy, intended to improve usability, institutional continuity and secure engagement among member navies. The Philippines was also included as an observer nation, while Oman joined the working group on Humanitarian Assistance and Disaster Relief, expanding the scope of collaboration within the forum.
India also outlined a set of initiatives to be pursued during its chairmanship. These include the conduct of the IONS Maritime Exercise (IMEX), the continued deployment of IOS SAGAR to member countries with personnel from IONS navies and maritime security agencies on board, and a series of structured workshops and dialogues on maritime information sharing. The aim is to deepen operational interaction, professional exchange and capability development among participating navies.
Established as a voluntary initiative of navies from the littoral states of the Indian Ocean, IONS today comprises 25 member navies and nine observer nations. Over the years, it has grown into a credible multilateral framework that promotes trust, transparency and practical cooperation on maritime issues affecting the region.
Much of the work under the forum is carried out through three dedicated working groups: Humanitarian Assistance and Disaster Relief, Maritime Security, and Information Sharing and Interoperability. These focus on coordinating disaster response, tackling piracy and other maritime threats, and strengthening maritime domain awareness through structured information exchange.
Meanwhile, Rob de Wit, Deputy Commander of the Royal Netherlands Navy, said the Indian Ocean Region remains vital for the Dutch and wider European economies and thanked India for hosting the conclave. He emphasised that platforms like IONS are important for discussing shared maritime challenges and maintaining security and stability.
Referring to piracy, he said that although incidents off the Horn of Africa have declined compared to earlier years, emerging hotspots remain a concern. Sharing operational experience among navies, he added, would strengthen collective counter-piracy efforts.
The 9th Conclave, officials said, marks a new phase in the evolution of the forum. With India assuming the chair, the emphasis is on expanded engagement and a stronger collective push toward maritime stability across the Indian Ocean Region.
Ravi Shankar, Visakhapatnam
Dr Ravi Shankar has over two decades of experience in communications, print journalism, electronic media, documentary film making and new media.
He makes regular appearances on national television news channels as a commentator and analyst on current and political affairs. Apart from being an acknowledged Journalist, he has been a passionate newsroom manager bringing a wide range of journalistic experience from past associations with India’s leading media conglomerates (Times of India group and India Today group) and had led global news-gathering operations at world’s biggest multimedia news agency- ANI-Reuters. He has covered Parliament extensively over the past several years. Widely traveled, he has covered several summits as part of media delegation accompanying the Indian President, Vice President, Prime Minister, External Affairs Minister and Finance Minister across Asia, Africa and Europe.
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