Indian Ocean Naval Symposium concludes; sees participation from 13 countries

A two-day Indian Ocean Naval Symposium (IONS) Working Group Meeting on Maritime Security (IWG-MARSEC), hosted by the Indian Navy, concluded here on Thursday. The event brought together representatives from 13 IONS member nations, including Australia, Bangladesh, France, India, Kenya, Mozambique, Oman, Russia, Saudi Arabia, South Africa, Sri Lanka, Tanzania, and Thailand.

According to a statement from the Naval spokesperson, the IWG-MARSEC, one of the key Working Groups within the IONS framework, serves as a dedicated platform for dialogue, cooperation, and actionable outcomes on maritime security.

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In his keynote address, Rear Admiral Nirbhay Bapna, Assistant Chief of Naval Staff (Foreign Cooperation & Intelligence), reiterated India’s steadfast commitment to fostering regional maritime cooperation in the Indian Ocean Region (IOR). He also emphasised the growing need for multilateral mechanisms to effectively address contemporary maritime security challenges.

Over the course of the two-day event, delegates engaged in extensive deliberations aimed at strengthening regional maritime security architecture. 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 statement read.