IMEX 22                                             

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Context: The maiden edition of Indian Ocean Naval Symposium (IONS) Maritime Exercise 2022 (IMEX-22) was conducted at Goa and in Arabian Sea.

About IMEX-22:

• Aim of the exercise: to enhance interoperability in Humanitarian Assistance and Disaster Relief (HADR) operations among member navies.
• Participants: The participation included warships, Maritime Reconnaissance aircraft and helicopters from the Navies of Bangladesh, France, India and Iran. 22 Observers from 15 IONS member navies, namely Australia, Bangladesh, France, India, Indonesia, Maldives, Mauritius, Mozambique, Oman, Qatar, Singapore, Sri Lanka, Thailand, UAE and UK also participated in the exercise.
• Significance: The exercise is seen as a significant stepping stone for regional navies to collaborate and respond collectively to natural disasters in the region and paves way for further strengthening regional cooperation.
• Indian Ocean Naval Symposium (IONS):
  • It was established in 2007.
  • It is a premier forum for cooperation and collaboration among navies of littoral states of the Indian Ocean Region.
  • It has enabled discussions on regional maritime issues, promoted friendly relationships, and significantly improved maritime security cooperation in the Indian Ocean Region.
  • The inaugural edition of IONS was held in Feb 2008 at New Delhi, with Indian Navy as the Chair for two years.
  • The IONS Chair is presently held with France.

https://www.pib.gov.in/PressReleasePage.aspx?PRID=1811590