NEW DELHI: The grouping of Indian Ocean naval forces engaged in extensive deliberations to strengthen the regional maritime security architecture during a two-day event held in New Delhi. The discussions also focused on formulating a regional operational guideline.
The Indian Navy hosted the Indian Ocean Naval Symposium (IONS) Working Group Meeting on Maritime Security (IWG-MARSEC) from 24 to 25 June 2025.
The Indian Navy on Thursday said, “Discussions focused on enhancing information-sharing frameworks, advancing Maritime Domain Awareness (MDA), and adopting collaborative approaches to mitigate emerging threats.”
The Working Group also deliberated on the formulation of harmonised operational guidelines and practical measures to facilitate coordinated and timely regional responses, the Navy added.
The outcomes of the meeting are expected to play a significant role in reinforcing the collective resolve of member navies to uphold a safe and secure Indian Ocean Region.
The event brought together representatives from 13 IONS member nations, Australia, Bangladesh, France, India, Kenya, Mozambique, Oman, Russia, Saudi Arabia, South Africa, Sri Lanka, Tanzania, and Thailand.
As one of the key Working Groups of the IONS construct, the IWG-MARSEC serves as a dedicated platform for dialogue, cooperation, and actionable outcomes.
Rear Admiral Nirbhay Bapna, Assistant Chief of Naval Staff (Foreign Cooperation & Intelligence), in the key address, reiterated India’s steadfast commitment to fostering regional maritime cooperation in the Indian Ocean Region (IOR) and emphasised the growing need for multilateral mechanisms to effectively address contemporary maritime security challenges.
The IONS member nations have been working towards capability development. In this process, their maiden Maritime Exercise 2022 (IMEX-22) was held at Goa and in the Arabian Sea from 26–30 March 2022, with participation from 16 out of the 25 IONS member nations.
The IONS also includes nine observer countries, including China. Pakistan is one of the member countries.
As The New Indian Express reported earlier, IMEX-22 aimed to develop the IONS’ capability to efficiently and effectively coordinate among member nations during a HADR contingency. It sought to enhance coordination of operations, build upon individual strengths, and develop interoperability in critical areas such as search and rescue operations, cross-deck helicopter operations, medical support, diving expertise, and seamless communications.
The Indian Ocean Naval Symposium (IONS), established in 2008, is a premier forum for cooperation and collaboration among navies of littoral states of the Indian Ocean Region. The inaugural edition of IONS was held in February 2008 in New Delhi, with the Indian Navy serving as the Chair for two years (2008–2010).
India is also scheduled to take over as Chair of IONS (2025–2027) during the 9th Conclave of Chiefs, planned to be conducted in India at the end of 2025.