Indian Ocean Naval Symposium
Also called: IONS · Topic: India and her Neighbours · NCERT: Beyond NCERT
Meaning
The Indian Ocean Naval Symposium (IONS) is a forum where the navies of countries along the Indian Ocean meet to work together on safety at sea. These countries are called littoral states, meaning countries whose land touches the ocean. The Indian Navy started IONS in 2008, and India is a founding member. Joining is voluntary and nothing agreed at IONS binds any government. It is a place to talk, build trust and plan shared work, such as help after disasters and keeping sea routes safe. Its top meeting is the Chiefs' Conclave, where the heads of member navies meet every few years.
Example
The first IONS was held in New Delhi in 2008. In February 2026, the 9th IONS Chiefs' Conclave took place around the same time as MILAN-2026 and the International Fleet Review at Visakhapatnam, on India's east coast. A Republic of Korea Navy delegation attended it, which shows that navies from outside the region are also taking an interest.
Don't confuse with
- Indian Ocean Rim Association (IORA): a group of governments set up in 1997 for trade and economic cooperation. IONS is a forum for navies only.
- Indo-Pacific Regional Dialogue (IPRD): a yearly strategy dialogue in New Delhi, hosted by the Indian Navy with the National Maritime Foundation. It brings together experts and officials, not only navy chiefs.