Information Fusion Centre (IFC) for the Indian Ocean Region (IOR)

News:The Information Fusion Centre – Indian Ocean Region(IFC-IOR) which was set up last year has started functioning as an information sharing hub of maritime data.

Facts:

About IFC-IOR:

• The IFC-IOR has been established at the Indian Navy’s Information Management and Analysis Centre (IMAC) in Gurugram, Haryana.
• It is the single point center linking all the coastal radar chains to generate a seamless real-time picture of the nearly 7,500-km coastline.
• It has been established with the vision of strengthening maritime security in the region and beyond by building a common coherent maritime situation picture and acting as a maritime information hub for the region.
• The IFC will share White Shipping Information with the countries.White shipping refers to commercial shipping information about the movement of cargo ships.
• All Countries that have signed the white shipping information agreement with India are IFC partners.

Significance of IFC-IOR:

• The Information on commercial shipping will improve maritime domain awareness in the Indian Ocean region.
• It will strengthen the mutual collaboration and understanding of the threats prevalent in the region.
• It will also help to counter the rise in maritime piracy in the Indian Ocean region.