Business Standard- Navy chief�Admiral�Sunil Lanba�on Sunday arrived in�Tehran�to participate in a three-day symposium aimed at strengthening maritime cooperation between different countries in the�Indian Ocean�region, an official statement said here.

During his visit, Lanba will hold bilateral discussions with the�Commander�of the Iranian Navy, and other participating chiefs of navies and heads of maritime agencies during the 6th edition of the�Indian Ocean�Naval Symposium (IONS) in�Tehran�between April 23 and 25.

He is leading a four-member Indian delegation to�Iran�for the IONS, conceived by the�Indian Navy�in 2008.

"The forum seeks to enhance maritime cooperation among navies of the littoral states of the�Indian Ocean�region by providing an open and inclusive forum for discussion on regionally relevant maritime issues that will lead to common understanding on the way ahead," a�Defence Ministry�statement said.

The inaugural edition of the IONS was held in February 2008 in�New Delhi.

The charter of business of the IONS, which has grown into a formidable organisation with 23 members and nine observers, was agreed upon by the conclave of chiefs and brought into effect in February 2014.

As the founder-nation of IONS,�India�will hold activities in November 2018 at Kochi in�Kerala�to celebrate�the IONS's 10th anniversary�this year, the statement added.