New Delhi: The Indian Navy has taken a major step towards strengthening maritime security cooperation in the strategically crucial Indian Ocean region with the inauguration of enhanced infrastructure at its Information Fusion Centre – Indian Ocean Region (IFC-IOR) in Gurugram. As India Sentinels had been reporting, the centre had been at the front in coordinating anti-piracy operations in the IOR in recent years, especially seen after Yemeni Houthi’s blockade of the Red Sea for ships linked to Israel and its allies since the start of Tel Aviv’s military campaign in the Gaza Strip.
Vice Admiral Tarun Sobti, deputy chief of naval staff, formally inaugurated the upgraded facility in the presence of Vice Admiral AN Pramod, director general naval operations, and senior officials from the Indian Navy, Ministry of External Affairs, Ministry of Defence, Directorate General of Shipping, resident defence attachés, and international liaison officers.
The ceremony marked a milestone in India’s efforts to build a collaborative maritime security architecture in the Indian Ocean, which carries over two-thirds of global oil shipments and serves as a critical trade route connecting Europe, Asia and Africa.
Fostering #Collaborative #MaritimeSecurity!
— IFC-IOR (@IFC_IOR) August 7, 2025
VAdm Tarun Sobti, #DCNS, inaugurated the state-of-the-art augmented infrastructure of #IFCIOR and launched the IFC-IOR Software ‘MANTRA’ on 07 Aug 25.
The augmented infrastructure significantly boosts the Centre’s ability to… pic.twitter.com/MmOeNOamnz
Enhanced capabilities
The upgraded infrastructure will accommodate international liaison officers from 26 partner countries and multilateral organizations, including the Indian Ocean Rim Association (IORA) and the Djibouti Code of Conduct/Jeddah Amendment framework. This expansion significantly enhances the centre’s capacity to coordinate real-time information sharing and operational responses to maritime threats.
A key addition to the facility is the launch of MANTRA (Maritime Analytics Tool for Regional Awareness), a sophisticated software system designed to strengthen maritime domain awareness through comprehensive monitoring of commercial shipping activities across the region.
Speaking at the inauguration, Sobti emphasized the diverse maritime safety and security challenges facing the Indian Ocean region and highlighted the critical importance of enhanced collaboration and trust-based partnerships among regional nations.
Strategic importance
The IFC-IOR was originally established by the-then defence minister, Nirmala Sitharaman, on December 22, 2018, at the Information Management and Analysis Centre in Gurugram. Since its inception, the centre has evolved into a vital regional maritime information hub, fostering coordination among nations committed to ensuring maritime safety and security across the vast Indian Ocean.
The facility operates as a unique collaborative platform where international liaison officers from partner nations work together to counter challenges to maritime safety and security. Currently, the IFC-IOR maintains active collaboration with 54 maritime security constructs and 28 partner countries in its mission to ensure a peaceful, stable and prosperous Indian Ocean Region.
The centre’s mission aligns with India’s broader MAHASAGAR (Mutual and Holistic Advancement for Security Across the Regions) initiative, which underscores the need for security, stability and prosperity in the IOR.
Regional challenges
The Indian Ocean region faces persistent and evolving maritime security threats that necessitate coordinated international response. These include piracy and armed robbery at sea, trafficking of narcotics and weapons, illegal, unreported and unregulated fishing, irregular human migration, and emerging hybrid threats.
The economic significance of the region cannot be understated. Beyond carrying two-thirds of global oil shipments, the Indian Ocean facilitates the movement of one-third of the world’s bulk cargo and half of global container traffic. This immense economic activity, worth trillions of dollars annually, underpins the prosperity of billions of people across littoral and user states.
Collaborative framework
The enhanced IFC-IOR represents a shift towards multilateral maritime security cooperation, moving beyond traditional bilateral arrangements. The centre serves as a neutral platform where nations can share maritime intelligence, coordinate responses to threats, and build mutual trust through sustained engagement.
The presence of international liaison officers ensures prompt information sharing and expedites coordination of operational responses to maritime incidents. This real-time collaboration model has proven effective in addressing time-sensitive maritime security challenges across the region’s vast expanse.
The facility’s upgrade comes at a time when maritime security challenges in the Indian Ocean are becoming increasingly complex, requiring sophisticated technological solutions and enhanced international cooperation. The integration of advanced analytical tools like MANTRA represents a significant step forward in building comprehensive maritime domain awareness.
Looking ahead
The IFC-IOR’s expansion reflects India’s growing role as a net security provider in the Indian Ocean Region and its commitment to fostering inclusive maritime security architecture. The facility’s enhanced capabilities position it to play an even more significant role in coordinating regional responses to emerging maritime challenges.
As global trade patterns continue to evolve and new security challenges emerge, the IFC-IOR’s role as a collaborative platform for maritime security will likely become even more critical. The centre’s emphasis on trust-based partnerships and information sharing offers a model for addressing complex transnational maritime challenges through cooperative approaches.
The successful functioning of the IFC-IOR demonstrates that collaborative maritime security arrangements can effectively address shared challenges while respecting the sovereignty and interests of all participating nations. This model of cooperation may serve as a template for similar initiatives in other maritime regions facing comparable security challenges.
