Information Fusion Centre – Indian Ocean region
The Information Fusion Centre – Indian Ocean Region (IFC-IOR) is a regional maritime security centre hosted by the Indian Navy. Launched in December 2018, the centre works towards enhancing maritime security and safety in the Indian Ocean. Currently, the IFC-IOR has International Liaison Officers (ILO) from 12 partner nations. It also has more than 65 international working-level linkages with nations and multi-national/ maritime security centres. Background The sea lanes in the Indian Ocean are considered among the most strategically important in the world with more than 80 percent of the world's seaborne trade in oil transits through the Indian Ocean and its vital chokepoints, with 40 percent passing through the Strait of Hormuz, 35 percent through the Strait of Malacca and 8 percent through the Bab el-Mandeb. 75 percent of the world's maritime trade also passes through the IOR. Challenges like maritime terrorism, piracy and armed robbery, human and contraband trafficking, Illegal Unregulated and Unreported (IUU) fishing, gun running and poaching require situational awareness of the maritime activities. To facilitate information sharing, cooperation and expertise development, a need for regional collaboration was felt. IFC-IOR was envisaged to address this very need to promote collaboration for maritime safety and security in