Information Sharing and Interoperability

The Indian Ocean Naval Symposium (IONS) Working Groups (IWGs) are established to progress capability building within specific maritime security challenges common to the member and observer nations of IONS. The objective of the Information Sharing and Interoperability IWG is to focus on how improvements to information sharing between nations can be achieved in order to provide a foundation for practical co-operation and engagement. By enhancing communication on issues relevant to IONS, trust and co-operation between nations will be enhanced.

Membership of the IWG is voluntary, dependent upon each IONS member or observer’s national interest, and there is no restriction on the number of members in the IWG. To allow participation from a range of maritime agencies, participants should fall between or include 03 (Navy Lieutenant) to 06 (Navy Captain) or equivalent ranks, and there should be no more than two (2) representatives per nation attending (host nation exempted).

The current membership of the IWG is 14 nations: Australia, Bangladesh, France, India, Iran, Malaysia, Maldives, Myanmar, Qatar, Oman, Pakistan, Singapore, Thailand, the United Arab Emirates.

The IWG will have two (2) volunteer IONS members as co-chairs, who will mutually share the responsibility of the IWG. Co-chairs may be O7 or O6 level rank or equivalent. The IWG chairmanship will typically run for two (2) years concurrently with the IONS chairmanship. At the end of the tenure, the IWG will either conclude or be handed over to new co-chairs appointed by the Conclave of Chiefs. One or both co-chairs may continue chairing the IWG past the tenure if agreed by all.

The co-chairs of the IWG are to ensure the following:

• A minimum of one (1) meeting is held during the tenure period.
• An IWG report is tabled and presented at the IONS Preparatory Workshop and the Conclave of Chiefs.
• Hosting a meeting will include the host nation providing in-country transportation and hospitality to participants.
• Subject matter experts may be guest speakers at IWG meetings.
• Agendas and minutes or summary records of each meeting are to be prepared and distributed to all IWG members and observers, and the IONS Secretariat.
• Handovers are conducted to the newly appointed co-chairs.

The IWG is currently co-chaired by Australia and France.

All co-operation and technology transfer conducted under this Terms of Reference (ToR) will be executed in accordance with respective national laws, regulations, policies and international agreements or arrangements.

IONS members and observers will co-operate as fully as possible, but have the right to ensure to their own satisfaction that their information will be protected before it is exchanged.

The ToR is not an agreement binding under international law, nor do they establish legally binding commitments or obligations on members or observers. The ToR does not create any rights, duties, or responsibilities enforceable against any person or entity in any tribunal, court of law or equity, or before any Third Party.

The IWG co-chairs and the IONS Secretariat will review these ToR as necessary, and in consultation with IONS members and observers, for approval by the Conclave of Chiefs.

The IWG is able to consider a broad range of topics for discussion on maritime security to enhance information sharing and to build trust and co-operation. To date the IWG has specifically developed:

• A Maritime Information Exchange Directory (MIED).
• An IONS Communication Plan (COMPLAN)
• An IONS Guide for Seariders.
• An Information Sharing Template.
• A DRAFT IONS Guide for co-operation with the maritime industry, and promoted IONS to adopt the Western Pacific Naval Symposium (WPNS) Code for Unplanned Encounters at Sea (CUES).