The IFC-IOR was established keeping in mind the significance of the Indian Ocean to world trade and security

NEW DELHI: Singapore joined the Indian initiative to strengthen the maritime domain awareness in the Indian Ocean Region by agreeing to send its officer to the Information Fusion Centre-Indian Ocean Region (IFC-IOR), said an officer aware of the development.

The IFC-IOR was established keeping in mind the significance of the Indian Ocean to world trade and security. Seventy-five per cent of the world’s maritime trade and 50 per cent of global oil pass through the Indian Ocean Region (IOR) 75.

However, the region is troubled by maritime terrorism, piracy, human and contraband trafficking, illegal and unregulated fishing, arms running and poaching.

India aims to meet these challenges with enhanced situational awareness which will enable security agencies to function effectively and help disseminate important information to ally countries.

IFC-IOR was inaugurated in December 2018 and is tasked to collate, fuse and disseminate intelligence on ‘White Shipping’ in the Indian Ocean.

It aims to base 40 international liaison officers.India has signed information exchange agreement with 22 countries and one multinational construct — the Virtual Regional Maritime Traffic Centre which facilitates 30 other countries to create a virtual network for exchange of information.