Why in News?
Over 55 countries, including the US and Russia, will participate in the Indian Navy’s biennial maritime exercise Milan in February 2026 at Visakhapatnam, alongside the International Fleet Review (IFR) 2026 and Indian Ocean Naval Symposium (IONS), where India assumes chairmanship (2025–27).
Description:
About IONS
- Initiative: Voluntary maritime cooperation forum among navies of Indian Ocean littoral states.
- Objective: Promote regional maritime security, cooperation, and dialogue on common maritime issues.
- Conceived by: Indian Navy in 2008.
- Inaugural Edition: New Delhi, February 2008, with India as the first Chair (2008–2010).
- Nature: Open, inclusive, and non-binding forum for exchange of views on maritime challenges.
Member Composition:
- Total Littoral States: 36
- Grouped into Four Sub-Regions:
- South Asian Littorals: Bangladesh, India, Maldives, Pakistan, Seychelles, Sri Lanka, United Kingdom (BIOT)
- West Asian Littorals: Iran, Oman, Saudi Arabia, UAE
- East African Littorals: France (Réunion), Kenya, Mauritius, Mozambique, South Africa, Tanzania
- Southeast Asian & Australian Littorals: Australia, Indonesia, Malaysia, Myanmar, Singapore, Thailand, Timor-Leste
- Observers: China, Germany, Italy, Japan, Madagascar, Netherlands, Russia, Spain
Significance:
- Enhances naval diplomacy and regional maritime cooperation.
- Strengthens freedom of navigation and collective maritime security in the Indian Ocean Region (IOR).
- India to assume Chairmanship (2025–27) during the IONS Conclave of Chiefs at Visakhapatnam, alongside Exercise MILAN 2026 and IFR 2026.
| Milan Exercise: It is a biennial multilateral naval exercise hosted by the Indian Navy since 1995, aimed at enhancing interoperability, maritime cooperation, and mutual understanding among navies of the Indian Ocean and Indo-Pacific regions. |
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