Roadmap for Answer Writing

1. Introduction 
   • Briefly introduce IORA as an inter-governmental organization aiming to strengthen cooperation and sustainable development in the Indian Ocean region.
   • Mention the significance of economic cooperation and regional integration among its member states.
2. Body: Ways IORA Promotes Economic Cooperation and Regional Integration 
   • Discuss IORA’s key initiatives that promote economic cooperation and regional integration.
   • Organize the discussion around specific areas such as trade facilitation, fisheries management, tourism, disaster risk management, and maritime security.
   • For each area, provide concrete examples to illustrate how IORA contributes to these goals.
3. Body: Challenges Faced by IORA 
   • Identify the major challenges hindering IORA’s progress.
   • Discuss issues like economic disparities, geopolitical tensions, overlapping regional organizations, and secretariat inefficiencies.
   • Provide examples where these challenges have affected IORA’s functioning or its objectives.
4. Conclusion 
   • Summarize how IORA has contributed to regional integration despite challenges.
   • Mention its importance in India’s geostrategic framework and potential for further growth.

Relevant Facts for the Answer

1. Trade and Investment Facilitation
   • IORA encourages trade liberalisation and lowers barriers to promote freer flows of goods, services, investment, and technology.
   • The IORA Action Plan (2017-2021) sets targets such as the promotion of SMEs and an online IORA trade repository for businesses.
2. Fisheries Management
   • IORA gives high importance to strengthening fisheries cooperation and the Blue Economy.
   • The IORA Fisheries Support Unit addresses critical issues related to fisheries management among member states.
3. Tourism and Cultural Exchanges
   • IORA has established a Core Group on Tourism to foster tourism and cultural exchanges, setting policy directions for government cooperation and dialogue facilitation.
4. Disaster Risk Management
   • The region’s vulnerability to natural and man-made disasters is addressed by IORA through collaboration among governments, NGOs, donors, and the private sector for effective disaster risk management.
5. Maritime Security
   • IORA promotes cooperation on maritime security issues like piracy, maritime terrorism, and illegal fishing.
   • The IORA Working Group on Maritime Safety and Security has been established to address these challenges.

Challenges Faced by IORA

1. Economic Disparities
   • IORA has members from varied economic backgrounds, such as wealthy nations (e.g., UAE, Singapore) and developing countries (e.g., Mozambique, Seychelles), leading to uneven participation in projects and benefits.
2. Geopolitical Tensions
   • Ongoing geopolitical conflicts, such as the US-Iran conflict, China’s territorial disputes in Southeast Asia, and India-Pakistan tensions, hinder regional cooperation and affect IORA’s functioning.
3. Overlapping Regional Organizations
   • IORA competes with regional bodies like SAARC, ASEAN, and GCC, which often dilute focus and resources for IORA’s initiatives.
4. Secretariat Issues
   • Frequent changes in staff at the IORA Secretariat impact its institutional memory, and limited monitoring powers affect the execution of projects.