Why in the news?

• Indian Ocean Naval Symposium (IONS) 2025 held at the Southern Command of the Indian Navy.

Indian Ocean Naval Symposium

• What is it?
  • Voluntary initiative aimed at enhancing maritime co-operation among navies of the Indian Ocean littoral states.
  • Provides an open, inclusive forum for discussions on regionally relevant maritime issues.
  • Conceived by the Indian Navy in 2008.
• Membership:
  • 36 Littoral States of the Indian Ocean. 
  • Grouped into four sub-regions:
    • South Asian Littorals: Bangladesh, India, Maldives, Pakistan, Seychelles, Sri Lanka, United Kingdom (British Indian Ocean Territory).
    • West Asian Littorals: Iran, Oman, Saudi Arabia, UAE.
    • East African Littorals: France (Reunion), Kenya, Mauritius, Mozambique, South Africa, Tanzania.
    • South East Asian & Australian Littorals: Australia, Indonesia, Malaysia, Myanmar, Singapore, Thailand, Timor-Leste.
  • Observers: China, Germany, Italy, Japan, Madagascar, Netherlands, Russia, Spain.
• Significance:
  • Enhances maritime security cooperation and confidence-building in the IOR.
  • Facilitates Humanitarian Assistance and Disaster Relief (HADR), counter-piracy, maritime domain awareness, and environmental protection.
  • Provides India with a platform to play the role of a net security provider in the Indian Ocean.
  • Complements regional initiatives like Indian Ocean Rim Association (IORA).