Context:
Information Fusion Centre – Indian Ocean Region (IFC-IOR) celebrated its 5th anniversary.
- Also, it was instrumental in addressing a ship hijacking incident near the Gulf of Aden.
Information Fusion Centre for Indian Ocean Region (IFC-IOR):
- Established in 2018.
- Hosted by – Indian Navy
- Location – Information Management and Analysis Centre, Gurugram [nodal agency for maritime data fusion]
- Tagline – Collaboration for Safety and Security.
- Aim – To strengthen maritime security in Indian Ocean Region (IOR) and beyond by acting as a maritime security information sharing hub for the region.
- Vision – To advance maritime safety through information sharing, cooperation and expertise development.
- Mission – To be a nodal centre of excellence for promoting maritime safety towards a peaceful, stable and prosperous IOR.
- Maritime domain – Piracy & Armed Robbery, Contraband Smuggling, IUU Fishing, Irregular Human Migration and other maritime incidents.
- It hosts International Liaison Officers from 12 partner nations.
- It includes International Maritime Organisation (IMO), United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC), and Indian Ocean Rim Association (IORA).
- Events –
- Regional Maritime Practitioner Programme (RMPP)
- Maritime Security Info-sharing Exercise (MARISX)
- Shared Awareness Meeting (SAM)
- Significance –
- Enhance maritime safety and security in IOR in line with India’s vision of Security and Growth for All in the Region (SAGAR).
- Enables participating countries to better track illegal activities, identify potential threats, and coordinate responses.
- Combat major concerns like terrorism, human trafficking etc. in Indian Ocean.
The 3 major hotspots for piracy and armed robbery are South East Asia, Gulf of Guinea and Horn of Africa. There was a rise in numbers in South East Asia while there was a rise in intensity in the Gulf of Guinea.
India and Indian Ocean Region:
- 95% of India’s trade by volume and 68% of trade by value is moved through sea via Indian Ocean.
- About 250 million people live within 50 km of coast and dependent on sea for food and livelihood.
- Central position of India in IOR makes it a natural maritime power, influencing sea lanes and regional dynamics.
- World’s 3rd largest ocean holds abundant mineral resources like gold, tin, uranium, cobalt, nickel etc.
Source: The Hindu
Previous Year Question
With reference to ‘Indian Ocean Rim Association for Regional Cooperation (IORARC)’, consider the following statements:
1. It was established very recently in response to incidents of piracy and accidents of oil spills.
2. It is an alliance meant for maritime security only.
Which of the statements given above is/are correct?
[UPSC Civil Services Exam – 2015 Prelims]
(a) 1 only
(b) 2 only
(c) Both 1 and 2
(d) Neither 1 nor 2
Answer: (d)
Explanation:
Indian Ocean Rim Association for Regional is a regional forum in which representatives of government, business, and Academia promoting cooperation and a closer interaction. It was established in 1997 and formerly known as the Indian Ocean Rim initiative.
Maritime security, trade, and investment, disaster risk reduction, academic and scientific Corporation, cultural exchange, blue economy, empowerment of women, and fisheries management are identified as eight priorities area of the Indian Ocean Rim Association.
