India Assumes Chairmanship of Indian Ocean Naval Symposium

Visakhapatnam, India – On Friday, February 20, 2026, Vice Admiral Tarun Sobti, Deputy Chief of the Naval Staff, announced that India has assumed the Chairmanship of the Indian Ocean Naval Symposium (IONS) during the 9th Conclave of Chiefs held in Visakhapatnam. This marks a significant step for India in taking on greater responsibility for ensuring peace, stability, and security in the maritime spaces of the Indian Ocean Region.

Enhancing Maritime Cooperation

Vice Admiral Sobti emphasized that maritime challenges are shared across nations, necessitating enhanced interoperability, structured communication mechanisms, and coordinated responses among the navies of the Indian Ocean Region. IONS provides an open and inclusive forum for discussion on regionally relevant maritime issues and aims to promote the flow of information among naval professionals to foster common understanding and cooperative solutions. Source

About the Indian Ocean Naval Symposium

Currently, IONS comprises 25 member navies and nine observer nations. It has evolved into a credible multilateral framework promoting trust, transparency, and practical collaboration. The Chairmanship rotates among member countries for a two-year term, including one Conclave of Chiefs and one Preparatory Workshop during each cycle.

Key Areas of Focus

Activities under IONS are conducted through three Working Groups:

• Humanitarian Assistance and Disaster Relief: Focusing on disaster response coordination.
• Maritime Security: Addressing piracy and maritime threats.
• Information Sharing and Interoperability: Enhancing Maritime Domain Awareness through structured information-sharing mechanisms.

International Support and Collaboration

Deputy Commander of the Royal Netherlands Navy, Rob de Wit, highlighted the vital importance of the Indian Ocean Region for the Dutch and wider European economies. He expressed gratitude to India for hosting the IONS Conclave of Chiefs. Source

De Wit emphasized that multilateral platforms like IONS are essential to discuss shared maritime challenges and ensure security and stability, fostering long-term peace and economic prosperity. He noted that while piracy incidents off the “Horn of Africa” have declined, emerging hotspots remain a concern, and sharing operational experience among navies would strengthen collective counter-piracy efforts.

Recent Bilateral Talks

Alongside the IONS Conclave, the Indian Navy held high-level bilateral talks with naval leaders from South Africa, Iran, Seychelles, Kenya, Bahamas, and the European Union, reinforcing India’s growing maritime cooperation across regions. Source Discussions included expanding operational cooperation through port visits and training exchanges, as well as collaboration through working groups and the IONS Maritime Exercise (IMEX).

Thailand, Australia, and Sri Lanka also marked their naval presence at the International Fleet Review and Exercise MILAN, further demonstrating the growing international collaboration in the region. Source