India and France are strengthening their maritime cooperation to promote a peaceful and secure Indian Ocean Region (IOR), with India set to assume the chairmanship of the Indian Ocean Rim Association (IORA) in 2025 for a two-year term. During the recent Maritime Cooperation Dialogue in New Delhi, both nations agreed to jointly assess threats to maritime security in the IOR. This collaboration will focus on addressing illicit maritime activities such as piracy, armed robbery, maritime terrorism, contraband smuggling, illegal, unreported, and unregulated (IUU) fishing, hybrid and cyber security threats, and marine pollution, according to officials familiar with the matter. India and France also committed to ensuring free and secure access to sea lanes of communication by fostering collaboration between their maritime assets and organisations. France, which maintains territories within the IOR, remains one of India’s key strategic partners in the region.