IONS conclave begins in Vizag

The 9th Indian Ocean Naval Symposium (IONS) Conclave of Chiefs was off to a grand start in Visakhapatnam on 20 February.

Coinciding with International Fleet Review (IFR) and MILAN 2026, the conclave is being attended by naval chiefs from several countries.

At the conclave, the Chief of the Naval Staff will assume the Chairmanship of the Indian Ocean Naval Symposium from the Royal Thai Navy. India is leading the forum for the 2026-2028 term. This marks its second tenure as Chair since IONS was launched in 2008 in New Delhi.

A voluntary and inclusive platform that brings together navies of the Indian Ocean Region, aim of the conclave is to promotes maritime security, cooperation and humanitarian assistance.

The conclave will deliberate on shared maritime challenges and efforts to strengthen collective security in the region.

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This article is written by Senior Journalist Lakkoju Nagesh Babu