Sri Lanka Navy is to host the IONS Technical Seminar 2009 which is expected to be attended by delegates of thirty-four Navies of the Indian Ocean Region (IOR). Conducted under the theme of Practical Cooperative Mechanisms for Technical Support within the Indian Ocean, the seminar is scheduled to be held in Colombo, Sri Lanka from the 21st to 23rd of May 2009. Sri Lanka Navy, which extends its unstinting support for IONS, is showing its commitment to maintain the regional momentum generated through the regional maritime security initiative by hosting the technical seminar which is expected to enhance the cooperation among regional Navies.

Indian Ocean Naval Symposium (IONS):

The Indian Ocean Naval Symposium (IONS) came into existence as a consequence of the deliberations made by the Commanders of the Navies around the Indian Ocean who gathered in India in February 2008 at the Invitation of the Chief of the Naval Staff of the Indian Navy. The inaugural session was declared open by the Prime Minister of India and the President and the Vice President of India also took part in the related activities of the Symposium.

Launched as the Twenty First Century’s first significant regional maritime security initiative in recognition of the centrality of ‘Constructive Engagement’ as the primary means of achieving and assuring mutually beneficial maritime security, stability, safety and consequent collective prosperity amongst all littoral states of the Indian Ocean Region (IOR), ‘IONS’ provides a regional forum through which the ‘Chiefs-of-Navy’ of all the littoral states of the IOR can periodically meet to constructively engage one another through the creation and promotion of regional relevant mechanisms, events and activities.

The primary aim of ‘IONS’ is to sustain a regionally relevant, constructive forum within which the navies (and/or the principal maritime agencies responsible for maritime security) of the littoral States of the Indian Ocean Region, along with such other relevant maritime entities as may be agreed upon from time-to-time by the members, can discuss issues and concerns that bear upon maritime security, with a view to arriving at agreed courses of action on trans-national issues, based upon a common understanding of the regional maritime security environment.

At the invitation of the incumbent Chairman of IONS, the Chief of the Naval Staff (CNS) of the Indian Navy, Sri Lanka Navy hosts the first major activity of the newly formed organisation namely, the "IONS Technical Seminar 2009" with the blessings and approval of the Secretary Ministry of Defence. The seminar is scheduled to be held from 21st to the 23rd of May 2009 at the Hotel Taj Samudra, Colombo. Participation of one or two Naval officers from each of the thirty-four (34) counties is expected for the seminar.

Thus, it is expected that the IONS Technical Seminar will provide a conducive platform for the participants to deliberate upon technical issues which come under the IONS mandate and in turn enhance friendship and professional cooperation among the Navies of the Indian Ocean Region. By conducting the Technical Seminar in Sri Lanka, it is believed that the country as a whole and the Sri Lanka Navy in particular can achieve greater acceptance among regional Navies. Being the venue for the august gathering of defence experts of maritime warfare, Sri Lanka, which is renowned for its excellence of hospitality, will be provided with exposure at regional as well as international levels through the successes of the Seminar since it is bound to make significant contributions towards the global efforts at eliminating terror from the face of the Earth.