Kochi

The Indian Navy will be hosting the 'Emerging Leaders Panel Discussion' under the aegis of 'Indian Ocean Naval Symposium' (IONS) from August 27- 28 at the Southern Naval Command, Kochi, the Ministry of Defence said in an official statement. The two-day event will see a focus on engaging young naval leaders from 18 IONS nations.

Vice Admiral V Srinivas, Flag Officer Commanding-in-Chief, Southern Naval Command, will be the Chief Guest for the event, the Ministry said.

In a post on X, the Indian Navy noted, "The event will feature participation of Naval officers from member nations engaging in discussions on maritime security challenges and fostering collaboration in emerging technology and harnessing training capabilities."

Reinforcing collective resolve to uphold a safe and secure #IndianOceanRegion.

The #IndianNavy is hosting the 'Emerging Leaders Panel Discussion' under the aegis of #IONS at @IN_HQSNC, #Kochi from 27 - 28 Aug 25.

The event will feature participation of Naval officers from… pic.twitter.com/4fOGXk86cO

— SpokespersonNavy (@indiannavy) August 25, 2025

It will see the presence of more than 20 navies and over 300 participants.

As per the statement, the panel discussion is part of the broader IONS framework, which aims to foster dialogue and cooperation amongst member nations. The event will witness the participation of naval officers from member nations sharing their insights into regional maritime issues.

The themes of the panel discussion include - 'Strategic Importance of Indian Ocean Region and Challenges Being Faced: Perspective of Young Officers', 'Emerging Technologies in Maritime Security', 'Future role of IONS in Fostering Collaboration towards Maritime Security' and 'Harnessing Training Capabilities amongst IONS Countries: Future Road Map'., the statement said.

Earlier in June, the Indian Navy had hosted the IONS Working Group Meeting on Maritime Security (IWG-MARSEC) from June 24-25 in New Delhi, reinforcing the collective resolve of member Navies to uphold a safe and secure Indian Ocean Region.

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The Ministry of Defence highlighted that IONS was conceived by the Indian Navy in 2008 as a forum to enhance maritime cooperation amongst the Navies of the littoral states of the Indian Ocean Region. IONS provides an open and inclusive platform for discussions on regionally relevant maritime issues.