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Context: Recently, China convened a first “China-Indian Ocean Region Forum” bringing together 19 countries from the region. Experts believe that the Chinese forum apparently is aimed at countering India’s strong influence in the Indian Ocean region where India-backed organisations like the Indian Ocean Rim Association (IORA) have taken strong roots.

Details:

IORA:

• IORA is an inter-governmental organisation which was established in March 1997. It was formerly known as the Indian Ocean Rim Initiative and the Indian Ocean Rim Association for Regional Cooperation (IOR-ARC).
• The IORA Secretariat is based in Mauritius. It became an observer to the UN General Assembly and the African Union in 2015.
• It has 23 Member States and 10 Dialogue Partners. China is a dialogue partner in the IORA.

• The China International Development Cooperation Agency (CIDCA) held a meeting of the China-Indian Ocean Region Forumon Development Cooperation.
• The meeting was attended by 19 countries from the region – and all of India’s neighbours, except for India itself.
• The meeting was held in a hybrid manner under the theme of “Shared Development: Theory and Practice from the Perspective of the Blue Economy”.
• Participating countries included - Indonesia, Pakistan, Myanmar, Sri Lanka, Bangladesh, Maldives, Nepal, Afghanistan, Iran, Oman, South Africa, Kenya, Mozambique, Tanzania, Seychelles, Madagascar, Mauritius, Djibouti, Australia and representatives of 3 international organisations were present.
• India was not invited.
• India participated in the 22nd Council of Ministers’ (COM) meeting of the Indian Ocean Rim Association(IORA) held at Dhaka.

Regional Security Architecture:

India has always espoused a cooperative approach and participation of all states in promoting maritime security as enunciated by PM Narendra Modi in his vision of SAGAR – Security And Growth for All in the Region.

• Indian Ocean Rim Association (IORA): launched in 1997 for promoting intra-regional economic cooperation and development.
• Indian Ocean Naval Symposium (IONS):is a voluntary initiative formed in 2008 that seeks to increase maritime co-operation among navies of the littoral states of the Indian Ocean Region.
• Regional Cooperation Agreement on Combating Piracy and Armed Robbery against Ships in Asia (ReCAAP):is a regional government-to-government agreement, brought into force in September 2006 to promote and enhance cooperation against piracy and armed robbery in Asia.
• ASEAN Regional Forum (ARF):objectives are to foster dialogue and consultation on political and security issues of common interest and make efforts towards confidence-building and preventive diplomacy in the Asia-Pacific region.
• At the multilateral level, India has played a key role in shaping BIMSTEC and Mekong-Ganga Cooperation.
• In south-east Asia, it has played an important and supportive role in ADMM Plus and Expanded ASEAN Maritime Forum and East Asia Summitas regards maritime security issues there.
• In the western Pacific, it participates in US-led Western Pacific Naval Symposium. It is also an Observer at the Arctic Council.

https://economictimes.indiatimes.com/news/india/india-to-set-up-e-office-of-indian-ocean-rim-association-secretariat/articleshow/95743613.cms

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