1. Introduction

• The Indian Ocean Naval Symposium (IONS) Working Groups (IWGs) are established to progress capability building within specific maritime challenges common to the Member and Observer nations of IONS.
• The IWGs include the following groups:
  1. Humanitarian Assistance and Disaster Relief (HADR) IWG
  2. Maritime Security (MarSec) IWG
  3. Information Sharing and Interoperability (ISI) IWG

2. Objectives

These Terms of Reference (ToR) are to provide guiding principles for IWGs. The objectives of the IWGs are to increase mutual understanding, trust and cooperation between participants, and progress practical outcomes.

3. Composition

• Membership of each IWG is voluntary, dependent upon each IONS Member or Observer's national interest. Applications for IWG membership are to be communicated to the IONS Secretariat who in turn will seek general consensus for addition of a new member to the IWG.
• A minimum of five (5) nations is required for an IWG to be effective. There is no limit to the number of group members.
• To allow participation in person from a range of maritime agencies at IWG sessions, IWG members' representatives should fall between or include O-3 (Navy Lieutenant) to O-6 (Navy Captain) or equivalent ranks, and there should be no more than two (2) representatives per IONS Member or Observer nation attending the sessions of IWG.

4. Chairmanship

• Each IWG will have two (2) volunteer IONS Members as co-Chairs, who will mutually share the responsibility of the IWG. Co-Chairs may be One Star (1*) or O-6 level rank as deemed appropriate. The appointment of the two co-Chairs takes place in the Conclave of Chiefs.
• IWG Chairmanship will ordinarily run for two (2) years concurrently with the IONS Chairmanship tenure. At the end of the tenure, IWGs will either conclude or be handed over to new co-Chairs at the Conclave of Chiefs. Conversely, one or both co-Chairs may continue chairing the IWG past the two (2) year tenure if agreed by the Conclave of Chiefs.
• Chairmanship Responsibilities – The co-Chairs of each IWG are to ensure the following:
  1. At the beginning of the term of office, draft (update) a concept paper setting out the main directions of the IWG's work, the goals to be achieved, and the means to achieve them.
  2. A minimum of one (1) workshop is held each calendar year.
  3. An IWG report is tabled and presented at the Conclave of Chiefs. The report may contain tangible outcomes (e.g., resolutions to be adopted, recommended academic or practical maritime programs, SOP/Guidelines etc).
  4. According to the provisions of the IONS Charter of Business (CoB) para 11.1, the organisation of an IWG workshop implies that the host country may opt to ensure a minimal level of hospitality, which is to be outlined in the administrative guidance covering the activity.
  5. Other government or non-government subject matter experts may be invited to participate in an IWG (for example, as guest speakers).
  6. Agendas, summary records, and resolutions of each IWG meeting or workshop are to be prepared and distributed to all IONS Members and Observers by the host navy, in good time, ideally not later than one (1) month after holding the event.
  7. IWG Chairmanship handovers are conducted to the newly appointed co-Chairs at the end of the two (2) year tenure, should the IWG be continued.
  Note: IWG correspondence to IONS Member and Observer nations can be assisted by the IONS Secretariat.

5. Sharing of Information

• The following stipulations will govern the provision and sharing of any information regardless of form or type, including but not limited to that of a scientific, technical, business or financial nature, and also including photographs, reports, manuals, threat data, experimental data, test data, designs, specifications, processes, techniques, inventions, drawings, technical writings, sound recordings, pictorial representations and other graphical presentations, whether in magnetic tape, computer memory or any other form and whether or not subject to intellectual property rights or other legal protection between Members and/or Observers:
  1. The provision and sharing of information will occur on a voluntary and goodwill basis and in accordance with the respective national laws, regulations and policies of the navies concerned, without any obligation being placed upon any Member or Observer to disclose any information.
  2. The provision of information will not, by itself, transfer any proprietary rights to that information and will not affect the rights of the Member or Observer providing the information.
  3. The receiving Members or Observers will not sell, transfer title to, disclose or transfer possession of, any information, without the prior written consent of the providing Members or Observers.

6. Legal Considerations

• The ToR is not an agreement binding under international law, nor do they establish legally binding commitments or obligations on Members or Observers.
• These ToR do not 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.

7. Review

• Members and Observers may forward any recommendations for ToR modification or changes to the IONS Chair for review and decision.
• The IONS Chair will review these ToR as necessary, and in consultation with IONS Members and Observers, for approval by the Conclave of Chiefs.

8. Amendments to the IWG Terms of Reference

1. Amendments to this Terms of Reference may be proposed by any Member. However, the amendment will need to be accepted through consensus by all the Members represented at the Conclave of Chiefs.

2. The version history is explained in the table below.

In this paragraph, the expression “IWG Terms of Reference” refers to the main body of the ToRs, not including the attachments. The information contained in the attachments shall be kept up to date by the IONS Secretariat without the need for a vote by the Members.