IBSAMAR VII

• 13 Oct 2022

Why in News?

INS Tarkash reached Port Gqeberha (also known as Port Elizabeth), South Africa to participate in the seventh edition of India-Brazil-South Africa Maritime (IBSAMAR) i.e., IBSAMAR VII.

• IBSAMAR is an important part of IBSA trilateral defence cooperation.

What is IBSAMAR VII?

• It is a joint Multinational Maritime Exercise between the Indian, Brazilian and South African Navies currently being held in South Africa from 10-12 October, 2022.
  • The previous edition of IBSAMAR (IBSAMAR VI) was conducted in Simons Town, South Africa in 2018.
• The Indian Navy is represented by the Teg class guided missile frigate, INS Tarkash, a Chetak helicopter and the personnel from the Marine Commando Force (MARCOS).
• The harbour phase of IBSAMAR VII includes professional exchanges such as damage control and fire-fighting drills, Visit, Board, Search, and Seizure (VBSS)/cross boarding lectures and interaction among special forces.
• The Joint Maritime Exercise will strengthen maritime security, joint operational training, sharing of best practices and building interoperability to address common maritime threats.

What are India’s Other Maritime Exercises?

• Thailand: India-Thailand Coordinated Patrol (Indo-Thai CORPAT)
• United Kingdom: Konkan - Shakti
• Indonesia: Samudra Shakti
• Singapore: Singapore-India Maritime Bilateral Exercise (SIMBEX)
• Qatar: Zair-Al-Bahr
• Japan: Maritime Partnership Exercise (MPX)

What is IBSA?

• About:
  • The IBSA is a trilateral, developmental initiative between India, Brazil and South Africa to promote South-South cooperation and exchange.
  • The idea of South-South Cooperation (SSC) is not new. Its genesis can be traced back to the decades of efforts by countries and groupings working together to ensure South-South solidarity such as Bandung conference 1955, Non-Aligned Movement 1961, G77 grouping, United Nations Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD), the Buenos Aires Plan of Action 1978, and the 2009 Nairobi declaration.
• Formation:
  • The grouping was formalized and named the IBSA Dialogue Forum when the Foreign Ministers of the three countries met in Brasilia (Brazil) on 6th June 2003 and issued the Brasilia Declaration.
• Headquarters:
  • IBSA does not have a headquarters or a permanent executive secretariat.
• IBSA Fund:
  • Established in 2004, IBSA Fund (India, Brazil and South Africa Facility for Poverty and Hunger Alleviation) is a unique Fund through which development projects are executed with IBSA funding in fellow developing countries.
  • The fund is managed by the United Nations (UN) Office for South-South Cooperation (UNOSSC). Each IBSA member country is required to contribute $1 million per annum to the fund.

UPSC Civil Services Examination, Previous Year Questions (PYQs)

Prelims

Q. Consider the following in respect of Indian Ocean Naval Symposium (IONS): (2017)

1. Inaugural IONS was held in India in 2015 under the chairmanship of the Indian Navy.
2. IONS is a voluntary initiative that seeks to increase maritime co-operation among navies of the littoral states of the Indian Ocean Region.

Which of the above statements is/are correct?

(a) 1 only
(b) 2 only
(c) Both 1 and 2
(d) Neither 1 nor 2

Ans: (b)

Exp:

• The ‘Indian Ocean Naval Symposium’ (IONS) is a voluntary initiative that seeks to increase maritime cooperation among navies of the littoral States of the Indian Ocean Region by providing an open and inclusive forum for discussion of regionally relevant maritime issues. Hence, statement 2 is correct.
• It provides a forum to increase maritime security cooperation, and promote friendly relationships among the member nations.
• The inaugural IONS-2008 was held in New Delhi, India in Feburary, 2008. The Chief of the Naval Staff, Indian Navy was designated as the Chairman of IONS for the period 2008-10. Hence, statement 1 is not correct.
• Therefore, option B is the correct answer.

Source: PIB