India looks to deploy naval liaisons at Madagascar, Abu Dhabi for information exchange

News: After joining Indian Ocean Commission(IOC) as Observer, India is looking to post Navy Liaison Officers at Regional Maritime Information Fusion Centre(RMIFC) in Madagascar and also at the European maritime surveillance initiative in the Strait of Hormuz(EMASOH) for improved Maritime Domain Awareness.

Facts:

• RMIFC: It functions under the aegis of the Indian Ocean Commission (IOC) and is based in Madagascar.
  • It aims to monitor the maritime activities and promotes information sharing.
• EMASOH: It was started by France in February 2020.It is composed of Belgium, Denmark, Netherlands and French officers and based at the French naval base in Abu Dhabi.
  • The aim is to monitor maritime activity and guarantee freedom of navigation in the Persian Gulf and the Strait of Hormuz.

Additional Facts:

• IOC: It is an intergovernmental organization created in 1982.It’s members are: Comoros, Madagascar, Mauritius, Réunion Islands (an overseas region of France) and Seychelles.Its secretariat is located in Port Louis, Mauritius.
• Information Fusion Centre – Indian Ocean Region(IFC-IOR): It was established in 2018 at Gurugram, Haryana.It aims to advance Maritime Safety and Security in the Indian Ocean Region through information sharing with partner nations and agencies.It is jointly administered by the Indian Navy and Indian Coast Guard.