What is the Indian Ocean Naval Symposium (IONS)? Key objectives, establishment, structure, member countries, and importance for India.

Why in News ?

• The Indian Navy’s First Training Squadron (1st TS) recently departed from Belawan Port, Indonesia, after a successful three-day port visit.
• The visit aimed to strengthen maritime cooperation with Indonesia, a key member of the Indian Ocean Naval Symposium (IONS), and to advance India’s vision of SAGAR (Security and Growth for All in the Region).

What is the Indian Ocean Naval Symposium (IONS) ?

• The Indian Ocean Naval Symposium (IONS) is a voluntary and cooperative forum of navies of the littoral (coastal) states of the Indian Ocean Region (IOR).
• Its main objective is to enhance dialogue, cooperation, and mutual trust on common maritime security challenges.

Key Objectives of IONS

• Strengthening maritime security in the Indian Ocean Region
• Promoting information sharing and confidence-building among navies
• Cooperation in Humanitarian Assistance and Disaster Relief (HADR)
• Addressing challenges such as piracy, smuggling, terrorism, and illegal activities
• Coordination on maritime law, search and rescue, and environmental protection
• Enhancing naval exercises, training, and capacity building

Establishment of IONS

• Year of Establishment: 2008
• Initiated by: Indian Navy
• First Conclave: New Delhi, India
• Objective: To promote a peaceful, secure, and cooperative maritime environment in the Indian Ocean.

Organizational Structure

IONS functions through:

• Rotational Chairmanship
• Biennial Conclave of Chiefs of Navies
• Working Groups
• Expert interactions and joint exercises

This structure supports both policy formulation and practical operational cooperation.

Four Sub-Regions of the Indian Ocean

There are 36 littoral states, divided into four sub-regions:

1. South Asian Littoral

• Bangladesh
• India
• Maldives
• Pakistan
• Seychelles
• Sri Lanka
• United Kingdom (British Indian Ocean Territory)

2. West Asian Littoral

• Iran
• Oman
• Saudi Arabia
• United Arab Emirates (UAE)

3. East African Littoral

• France (Reunion Island)
• Kenya
• Mauritius
• Mozambique
• South Africa
• Tanzania

4. Southeast Asian and Australian Littoral

• Australia
• Indonesia
• Malaysia
• Myanmar
• Singapore
• Thailand
• Timor-Leste

Observer Countries

• China
• Germany
• Italy
• Japan
• Madagascar
• Netherlands
• Russia
• Spain

These countries participate in IONS activities in a cooperative capacity.

Importance of IONS for India

India is a founding member and a leading contributor to IONS. IONS strengthens three pillars of India’s maritime strategy:

• SAGAR Vision
• Indo-Pacific Cooperation
• Blue Economy and Maritime Trade Security

India promotes regional trust through:

• Training missions
• Port visits
• Joint naval exercises
• HADR operations

Significance of the Recent Indonesia Engagement

The Indian Navy’s 1st Training Squadron visited Indonesia to:

• Enhance bilateral naval cooperation
• Share maritime training practices
• Strengthen regional stability
• Provide international exposure to young naval cadets

This visit reinforces the core spirit of IONS — cooperation, trust, and collective maritime security.