India was accepted as an observer in the Indian Ocean Commission getting a seat at the table of the organization that handles maritime governance in the western Indian Ocean.

Indian Ocean Commission

• The Indian Ocean Commission is an intergovernmental organization that was created in 1982 at Port Louis, Mauritius and institutionalized in 1984 by the Victoria Agreement in Seychelles.
• The COI is composed of five African Indian Ocean nations: Comoros, Madagascar, Mauritius, Réunion (an overseas region of France), and Seychelles.
• These five islands share geographic proximity, historical and demographic relationships, natural resources and common development issues.

Aims and Objectives of IOC

• COI’s principal mission is to strengthen the ties of friendship between the countries and to be a platform of solidarity for the entire population of the African Indian Ocean region.
• COI’s mission also includes development, through projects related to sustainability for the region, aimed at protecting the region, improving the living conditions of the populations and preserving the various natural resources that the countries depend on.
• Being an organisation regrouping only island states, the COI has usually championed the cause of small island states in regional and international fora.

India and IOC

• India’s entry is a consequence of its deepening strategic partnership with France as well as its expanding ties with the Vanilla Islands.
• India had made the application to be an observer. The IOC has four observers — China, EU, Malta and International Organisation of La Francophonie (OIF).

Significance

• For India, the importance of joining this organization lies in several things.
• First, India will get an official foothold in a premier regional institution in the western Indian Ocean, boosting engagement with islands in this part of the Indian Ocean.
• These island nations are increasingly important for India’s strategic outreach as part of its Indo-Pacific policy.
• This move would enhance ties with France which is the strong global power in the western Indian Ocean.
• It lends depth to India’s SAGAR (security and growth for all in the region) policy unveiled by PM Modi in 2015.
• The move, India hopes, would lead to greater security cooperation with countries in East Africa.

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