The IONS 2018 is slated to kick off here in Tehran on Monday.
As many as 35 high-ranking naval and military delegations from different countries are expected to travel to Tehran to attend the two-day event.
On Monday, the Iranian Navy will take over the presidency of the IONS for two years.
The IONS is a voluntary initiative that seeks to increase maritime co-operation 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.
In the process, it endeavors to generate a flow of information between naval professionals that would lead to common understanding and possibly cooperative solutions on the way ahead.
There are 32 Navies of the IONS - 23 members and 9 observers. The member states include Bangladesh, India, Maldives, Pakistan, Sri Lanka, Iran, Oman, Saudi Arabia, UAE, Kenya, Mauritius, Mozambique, South Africa, Tanzania, Australia, Indonesia, Myanmar, and Singapore.