India plans to make IORA stronger and effective

Source: The post India plans to make IORA stronger and effective has been created, based on the article “Charting a route for IORA under India’s chairship” published in “The Hindu” on 22 March 2025. India plans to make IORA stronger and effective.

UPSC Syllabus Topic: GS Paper2-Bilateral, regional and global groupings and agreements involving India and/or affecting India’s interests.

Context: India is set to chair the Indian Ocean Rim Association (IORA) from November 2025. As the current Vice-Chair, India plans to strengthen IORA’s governance. This article discusses the region’s strategic significance, IORA’s challenges, and the steps India can take to enhance its effectiveness and impact.

For detailed information on India must strengthen its Indian Ocean strategy read this article here

Geostrategic Importance of the Indian Ocean Region (IOR)

1. The Indian Ocean Region (IOR) is strategically vital, encompassing two-thirds of the world’s population.
2. It is critical for global trade, facilitating 75% of the world’s trade and 50% of daily oil transport.
3. The IOR generated $1 trillion in goods and services, with intra-IORA trade valued at $800 billion in 2023.
4. The region faces significant challenges including political instability, environmental issues, and security threats like piracy and trafficking.
5. These dynamics necessitate enhanced regional cooperation to address supranational problems effectively.

Role of IORA

1. IORA is one of the oldest intergovernmental organisations in the Indian Ocean Region.
2. It promotes cooperation in areas such as disaster risk management, cultural and academic exchanges.
3. It provides a platform for middle and small powers to collaborate on regional issues.
4. Dialogue partners include the U.S., European Union, and China.

Challenges Faced by IORA

1. Funding Constraints: IORA’s budget depends on member contributions. Most members are developing nations, except Singapore, France, and the UAE. The current budget is only a few million dollars. In comparison, the Indian Ocean Commission, with just five members, has a $1.3 billion budget for 2020–2025. IORA’s expanding agenda in maritime safety, blue economy, and innovation requires more funds.
2. Limited Institutional Capacity: IORA has a small Secretariat based in Mauritius with limited staff. Its operations, including data handling and policy analysis, are slow and prone to errors. There is an urgent need for digitised data systems and technological integration to improve governance and efficiency.

India’s Priorities as Upcoming Chair

1. Enhancing Funding: India aims to increase IORA’s budget by creating new funding opportunities. IORA’s budget is just a few million dollars, while the Indian Ocean Commission has $1.3 billion for 2020–25. India plans to involve private players like shipping, oil and gas, and tourism industries.
2. Technology Integration: India plans to use digital tools for better data handling and faster policy analysis. The IORA Secretariat, with limited staff in Mauritius, faces slow and error-prone data work.
3. Educational Collaboration: India will develop maritime-ready courses with research institutions. This supports the growing marine economy. Courses like marine accounting can help build skills for blue economy jobs.

Way forward

1. India should align its SAGAR vision with IORA’s goals to strengthen regional cooperation.
2. It should leverage the strengths of IORA members—Australia in marine science, France and Singapore in marine technology, and UAE and Oman in investments.
3. Traditional marine knowledge from island nations like Sri Lanka and Mauritius should be integrated for sustainable practices.

Question for practice:

Discuss how India can enhance the effectiveness of IORA during its upcoming chairmanship.