India Takes IONS Chair for 2026-28; IMEX TTX Held in Kochi
Why in the news
India took over the Chairmanship of the Indian Ocean Naval Symposium (IONS) for 2026-2028. The Indian Navy marked this by hosting the third IONS Maritime Exercise Tabletop Exercise (IMEX TTX 2026) at Kochi.
Key facts
- Chair: India holds the IONS chair for 2026-2028, after a gap of about 16 years since 2010.
- Exercise: 3rd IMEX TTX at the Maritime Warfare Centre, Southern Naval Command, Kochi, Kerala.
- Dates: 27-28 March 2026.
- Participants: 12 countries.
- Focus: non-traditional maritime threats such as piracy, terrorism and trafficking, plus information sharing and decision-making frameworks.
| Participating countries |
|---|
| Bangladesh, France, Indonesia, Kenya |
| Maldives, Mauritius, Myanmar, Seychelles |
| Singapore, Sri Lanka, Tanzania, Timor-Leste |
About IONS
The Indian Ocean Naval Symposium brings together the navies of Indian Ocean littoral states. Its tabletop exercise is meant to improve coordination among these navies and refine IONS guidelines.
Exam angle
- India chairs IONS for 2026-28; venue of the 3rd IMEX TTX is Kochi.
- Tabletop exercises are discussion-based, not sea drills.
- Theme: non-traditional maritime security threats.