Indian Ocean Commission

insightsonindia.com/2020/03/07/indian-ocean-commission

Insights Editor March 7, 2020

Topics Covered: Important International institutions, agencies and fora, their

structure, mandate.

What to study?

For Prelims: IOC- composition, objectives and functions.

For Mains: Benefits of IOC membership for India, challenges ahead.

Context: India was recently accepted as an observer in the Indian Ocean Commision,
getting a seat at the table of the organization that handles maritime governance in the
western Indian Ocean.

India’s entry is a consequence of its deepening strategic partnership with France as

well as its expanding ties with the Vanilla Islands.

Significance of this status for India:

1. India will get an official foothold in a

premier regional institution in the western
Indian Ocean, boosting engagement with
islands in this part of the Indian Ocean.
2. These island nations are increasingly
important for India’s strategic outreach as
part of its Indo-Pacific policy.
This move would enhance ties with
France which is the strong global power
in the western Indian Ocean.
3. It lends depth to India’s SAGAR (security
and growth for all in the region) policy
unveiled by PM Modi in 2015.
4. The movewould lead to greater security
cooperation with countries in East Africa.
5. The move also strengthens western
flank of the Indo-Pacific and is a stepping stone to security cooperation with East
Africa.

About IOC:

It is an intergovernmental organization created in 1982.

It was institutionalized in 1984 by the Victoria Agreementin Seychelles.

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The COI is composed of five African Indian Ocean
nations: Comoros, Madagascar, Mauritius, Réunion (an overseas region of France),
and Seychelles.

COI’s principal mission is to strengthen the ties of friendship between the countries and
to be a platform of solidarity for the entire population of the African Indian Ocean region.

The Commission has a Secretariat which is located in Mauritius and headed by a

Secretary General.

The Commission has four observers — China, EU, Malta and International
Organisation of La Francophonie (OIF).

Objectives:

Political and diplomatic cooperation,

Economic and commercial cooperation
Sustainable development in a globalisation context, cooperation in the field of
agriculture, maritime fishing, and the conservation of resources and ecosystems
Strengthening of the regional cultural identity, cooperation in cultural, scientific,
technical, educational and judicial fields.

ReCoMAP:

The COI has funded a number of regional and national conservation and alternative
livelihoods projects through ReCoMAP, Regional Programme for the Sustainable
Management of the Coastal Zones of the Countries of the Indian Ocean (PROGECO
in French). This project ended in 2011.

Way ahead for India:

For India, engagements with this region will become critical as the Navy begins to
strengthen its presence under its mission based deployments. Engagements with the
region, especially with the islands- given their geo-strategic location- could become key in
supporting Indian naval presence as well as furthering Delhi’s Indian Ocean engagement.

Insta Link:

Prelims Link:

1. Geographical location of IOC members and their neighbours.

2. Projects launched by IOC.
3. Overview of Sagarmala project.

Mains Link:

Discuss the significance of Indian Ocean Commission.

Sources: ET.

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