♤ Approximately 80 percent of India’s energy imports traverse through the Indian Ocean

and its different channels.

♤ In the 1990s, India became enthused about regional maritime cooperation as well, thanks to the increasing number of regional trading blocs across the world that played a stimulator for India’s integration with various regional groupings. Given this context, India’s interests in the Indian Ocean Rim-Association for Regional Cooperation (IOR-ARC, now Indian Ocean Rim Association- IORA) and Indian Ocean Naval Symposium are well founded.

♤ As Expressed by Prime Minister Modi “For us, it also serves as a strategic bridge with the nations in our immediate and extended maritime neighbourhood ...”