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The ‘IONS Open Essay Competition’ will be
conducted annually under the aegis of the Indian Ocean Naval Symposium. The
competition is open to all member-navies (and, subsequently, to
observer-navies too, as and when incorporated) of the IONS, irrespective of
rank and/or seniority, and, irrespective of whether they are civilian or
uniformed members of the 'Navy' concerned. Consequent upon English, French
and Arabic having been adopted as the three official languages of the IONS
Initiative, the essays may be written in any of these languages. Essays will
be judged in the language in which they have been submitted and separate
prizes awarded to each language-specific group of entries. |
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On 15th February, 2008, in recognition of the centrality of 'Constructive Engagement' as the primary means of achieving and assuring mutually beneficial maritime security, stability, safety, and consequent collective prosperity amongst all littoral states of the Indian Ocean Region (IOR), as many as twenty-six Chiefs-of-Navy of these littoral states gathered together 'in open assembly' as also 'in conclave' in New Delhi, to launch the Twenty First Century's first significant regional maritime security initiative, namely, the Indian Ocean Naval Symposium.
'IONS'
provides a regional forum through which the 'Chiefs-of-Navy' of all the
littoral states of the IOR can periodically meet to constructively engage one
another through the creation and promotion of regionally relevant mechanisms,
events, and activities. (Within the context of 'IONS', the term 'Chief-of-Navy'
is used in a generic sense. Consequently, for such countries as do not possess a
formally established 'navy', the term is applicable to the 'head of the
principal maritime agency').
While the inaugural event of this newly-launched cooperative, consultative and
inclusive regional initiative was the "IONS Seminar-2008" held on 14 and 15 Feb
08, the 'Symposium' itself should not be confused with a 'seminar'. If the
'Symposium' is considered to be the 'set', a seminar would be a 'sub-set'.
Indeed, seminars and workshops will remain important activities of the
'Symposium'.
That having been said, the inaugural seminar, which was held in the opulent setting of New Delhi's Vigyan Bhavan, was a two-day intellectual extravaganza, entirely reflective of the confidence, intellectual vibrancy and enthusiasm that now abounds in the Indian Ocean littoral. The formal theme of the seminar was:
"Contemporary Trans-national Challenges - International
Maritime Connectivities"
Acronym
The acronym for the proposed forum is 'IONS'. This
acronym seems particularly fitting, since the etymology of the English word
'ions' is drawn from the Greek word 'ienai' meaning 'go' and
implying movement (because an ion 'moves' towards an electrode of opposite
charge) ....the fundamental concept of IONS, too, is one of 'moving' together,
towards a set of continually defined, refined, and redefined goals.
Aim
The primary aim of 'IONS' is to sustain a regionally relevant, consultative
forum within which the navies (and/or the principal maritime agencies
responsible for maritime security) of the littoral States of the Indian Ocean
Region, along with such other relevant maritime entities as may be agreed upon
from time-to-time by the members, can discuss issues and concerns that bear upon
maritime security, with a view to arriving at agreed courses of action on
trans-national issues, based upon a common understanding of the regional
maritime security environment.
1. To promote a shared understanding of issues and concerns relevant to the Indian Ocean Region, which bear upon maritime security.
2. To strengthen the capability of all nation-states of the Indian Ocean Region to address present and anticipated challenges to maritime security and stability.
3. To establish and promote a variety of trans-national, maritime, consultative and cooperative mechanisms, designed to address and mitigate maritime security-concerns of the Indian Ocean Region.
4. To develop interoperability in terms of doctrines, strategies, procedures, organisational and logistic systems, and, operational processes, so as to promote the provision of speedy, responsive, and effective Humanitarian Assistance and Disaster-Relief (HADR) throughout the Indian Ocean Region
