Indian Ocean
Australia's Indian Ocean coastline is longer than our Pacific Ocean coastline. Australia is committed to playing an active and constructive role in the Indian Ocean region. In cooperation with other countries we want to develop over time a common set of interests and norms to guide cooperation across this diverse region. We want to do so incrementally, taking small, practical steps towards greater regional co-operation in functional areas.
Indian Ocean Regional Forums
Australia is a founding member, or a key supporter, of the principal regional organisations and other forums in the Indian Ocean:
- Indian Ocean Rim Association for Regional Cooperation (IOR-ARC) is the region's only regional forum linking most countries on the Indian Ocean rim through an annual Foreign Ministers' meeting.
- Indian Ocean Naval Symposium (IONS) seeks to increase maritime co-operation among navies of littoral states of the Indian Ocean region by providing an open and inclusive forum for discussion of regional maritime security issues.
- Indian Ocean Tuna Commission (IOTC) implements conservation and management measures to ensure the sustainable and optimal utilisation of tuna and tuna-like species in the Indian Ocean and adjacent seas.
- Indian Ocean MOU (IOMOU) on Port State Control aims to verify whether foreign vessels, comply with applicable international maritime conventions on safety, environmental and other issues.
- UNESCO Intergovernmental Oceanographic Commission (IOC) Perth Regional Program Office coordinates and facilitates the development and implementation of oceanographic science programs and initiatives.
- UNESCO IOC Intergovernmental Coordination Group for the Indian Ocean Tsunami Warning and Mitigation System (ICG/IOTWS) coordinates and facilitates development and operational implementation of tsunami warnings and associated disaster mitigation.