[pib] National Maritime Domain Awareness Project

• Raksha Mantri visited the Information Management and Analysis Centre (IMAC) and Information Fusion Centre – Indian Ocean Region (IFC-IOR) located at Gurugram.
• The two centres function under the National Maritime Domain Awareness (NMDA) Project.

About NMDA project

• The NMDA project was launched in accordance with the vision of PM on SAGAR (Security and Growth for All in the Region).
• The IMAC monitors movement of more than 120,000 ships a year passing through the Indian Ocean.
• The cargo carried by these ships account for 66 per cent of world crude oil, 50 per cent of container traffic and 33 per cent of bulk cargo.
• Thus, IMAC performs a very crucial role in collecting shipping information, analysing traffic patterns and sharing the inputs with the user agencies.
• IFC-IOR is a collaborative initiative by the Indian Navy in coordination with partner nations and multi-national maritime agencies to enhance Maritime Domain Awareness and Maritime Security.
• The Centre is likely to host International Liaison Officers from the partner nations in the near future.

Back2Basics

SAGAR (Security and Growth for All in the Region) Programme

• SAGAR is a term coined by PM Modi in 2015 during his Mauritius visit with a focus on blue economy.
• It is a maritime initiative which gives priority to Indian Ocean region for ensuring peace, stability and prosperity of India in Indian Ocean region.
• The goal is to seek a climate of trust and transparency; respect for international maritime rules and norms by all countries; sensitivity to each other`s interests; peaceful resolution of maritime issues; and increase in maritime cooperation.
• It is in line with the principles of Indian Ocean Rim Association.