What is IOR-ARC?

Indian Ocean Rim Association for Regional Cooperation (IOR-ARC) is a regional cooperation initiative of the Indian Ocean Rim countries. It was established in Mauritius in March 1997 with the aim of promoting economic and technical cooperation, including expansion of trade and investment.

The IORARC Secretariat is located at Port Louis, Mauritius. India is one of the founder members of IORARC. Besides the functioning Regional Center for Science and Transfer of Technology (RCSTT) for IORARC in Tehran, IORARC has various projects under implementation such as Fisheries Support Unit (FSU) and Maritime Transport Council (MTC) for IORARC in Oman.

To deepen economic ties with the Indian Ocean Rim countries and emphasize on maritime security, India will hold a three-day international conference in Bhubaneswar, starting March 20.About 20 nations will participate in the conference “India and the Indian Ocean: Renewing the Maritime Trade and Civilisational Linkages”, a release of the Institute of Social and Cultural Studies (ISCS) said.

Representatives from Australia, South Africa, Sri Lanka, Bangladesh, Maldives, Thailand, Mauritius, Indonesia, Malaysia, Kenya, Tanzania, Mozambique, Myanmar, Madagascar, Singapore, Yemen, Oman, Iran, and Cambodia are expected to attend the conference.

The conference will provide an opportunity to study and analyze Indian Ocean countries from all aspects – historical, economical, geo-political, cultural, energy security, religion, literature, trade, migration, diaspora and rejuvenate the ties that bind the nations. The conference is being organised jointly by ISCS and Research and Information System for Developing Countries.

The Indian Ocean has been a meeting point for western, northern, eastern and south east Asian countries. The Indian Ocean Rim countries have strategic relevance as well as socio-cultural similarities, which are key to foster sustained economic and trade ties in the region.