India takes over IONS chair after 16 years at Naval Chiefs’ conclave

India on Friday assumed the chairmanship of the Indian Ocean Naval Symposium(IONS) from Thailand during the ninth Conclave of Naval Chiefs held in the city, marking its return to the leadership of the forum after 16 years.

India will hold the chair for the next two years.

The IONS is a voluntary initiative launched by the Indian Navy in 2008 to promote maritime cooperation among navies of the Indian Ocean Region. It serves as a platform for dialogue, information sharing and collaboration on maritime security and related issues.

The conclave brought together Chiefs of Navies and Heads of Maritime Security Agencies from 33 countries, representing members, observers and other Indian Ocean littoral nations.

Key developments during the meeting included the launch of an upgraded IONS website, undertaken by the Indian Navy to enhance usability, institutional continuity and secure engagement among member navies.

The Philippines was admitted as an Observer, while Oman joined the IONS Working Group on Humanitarian Assistance and Disaster Relief, expanding the scope of collaborative engagement and widening the forum’s cooperative reach.

Announcing this, Vice Admiral Tarun Sobti, Deputy Chief of Naval Staff, said India had assumed the chair after 16 years. As the founder nation of IONS, it first held the chair in 2008 and has now taken it up again, he said.

Speaking to select media persons on the sidelines of the conclave, Vice Admiral Sobti said India was prepared to shoulder greater responsibility in promoting peace, stability and maritime security in the Indian Ocean Region. Maritime challenges were shared by many countries and required better interoperability, structured communication and coordinated responses among navies, he observed.

Chief of Naval Staff Admiral Dinesh Kumar Tripathi said in his address that the 21st century was widely regarded as a maritime century and increasingly as an Indian Ocean century. The Indian Ocean was not merely a geostrategic space but a shared strategic zone whose stability supported global growth and collective well-being, he noted.

He said India would focus on strengthening the core principles of IONS, namely cooperation, operational awareness, resilience and sustained engagement.

Cooperation was built on trust and mutual respect. Operational awareness required seamless information sharing. Resilience was essential to address maritime security challenges and natural disasters. Sustained engagement ensured meaningful interaction and dialogue among member nations, he said.

Admiral Tripathi added that maritime threats were becoming more complex due to technological advancements and stressed the need for coordinated global efforts to safeguard sea lanes and maritime trade.

The forum currently comprises 25 member navies and nine observer nations. Members include India, Australia, Bangladesh, France, Indonesia, Iran, Kenya, Malaysia, Mauritius, Mozambique, Myanmar, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Seychelles, Singapore, South Africa, Sri Lanka, Tanzania, Thailand and the United Arab Emirates, among others. Observers include Germany, Italy, Japan, the Netherlands, Russia, Spain and the United Kingdom.

The chairmanship rotates among member countries for a two-year term. Each cycle includes a Conclave of Chiefs and a preparatory workshop to discuss priorities and finalise the work plan.

Deputy Commander of the Royal Netherlands Navy Commodore Rob de Wit said multilateral forums such as IONS were important to address shared maritime challenges. The Indian Ocean Region was vital for global trade and economic stability, and continued cooperation among partner navies was essential to ensure maritime security, he said.

Published – February 20, 2026 08:17 pm IST