The Second International Indian Ocean Expedition (IIOE-2) is a major scientific program executed with the engagement of the global scientific community in collaborative marine research in the Indian Ocean. With participation from scientific institutions in more than 22 countries, IIOE-2 strives to advance our understanding of the physical, chemical, biological, geological and climatological aspects of the Indian Ocean thereby contributing to the sustainable management of this region and its resources which are critical to livelihoods of millions of people and economies of Indian Ocean rim and island nations.
The IIOE-2 was formally launched in December 2015 at the culmination of the Indian Ocean conference at Goa to mark the anniversary of 50 years since the first International Indian Ocean Expedition. The IIOE-2 program was initially formulated for a period of five years (2015-2020) but was subsequently extended for another five years until 2025. Over the past decade, the IIOE-2 community has contributed significantly to the understanding of the Indian Ocean in terms of observation, research and capacity development through 60 endorsed projects across the six defined scientific themes. There have been many international collaborations, and, in addition, the Early Career Scientist Network (ECSN) has gained momentum with exchange of ideas and capacity development.
The IIOE steering committee has proposed to extend the tenure of IIOE-2 until 2030 with an addendum to the original science plan including new initiatives and opportunities aligning with the UN Decade of Ocean Science for Sustainable Development. The knowledge gaps and challenges articulated include the need for more coastal research and monitoring, marine spatial planning (MSP), increased engagement of the research communities in the western Indian Ocean, Marginal Seas and eastern Bay of Bengal and the need to increase capacity development efforts and promote early career scientists. In particular, the core questions from Theme 1 (Human Impacts) are reiterated as they articulate many of the challenges and research questions prioritized in the final phase of IIOE-2 (2026 - 2030).
The conference aims to showcase the progress and scientific knowledge gained during the past decade of IIOE-2 (2015-2025). The conference invites presentations focussing on nine defined themes which include the six themes of the IIOE-2 science plan and additional themes based on the proposed addendum. It will provide an opportunity for the scientists working on different facets of the Indian Ocean to present their research and discuss their ideas, outstanding issues, identify the knowledge gaps and plan a way forward to address such issues.
The principal investigators and the associates of the IIOE-2 endorsed projects are especially encouraged to submit abstracts highlighting the significant outcomes of the expedition. Abstracts are to be submitted in the defined template not exceeding 300 words and indicating the number of the endorsed project (if applicable).
The "International Indian Ocean Science Conference 2025 (IIOSC-2025)" sponsored by the Ministry of Earth Sciences (MoES), Govt. of India, will be held from 01-05 December 2025 in Hyderabad, India hosted by Indian National Centre for Ocean Information Services (INCOIS).