The 11th meeting of the Council of Ministers of Indian Ocean Rim Association for Regional Co-operation ( IOR-ARC) was held in Bengaluru today. Minister for External Affairs, S.M.Krishna assumed the Chair of the association for the next two years. The Vice-Chair was taken over by the Foreign Minister of Australia, Kevin Ruud.

S.M.Krishna expressed deep appreciation of the contribution made by the outgoing Chair (Yemen) and other member countries for placing their trust in India. He also stated that India is acutely conscious of the high responsibility placed on our shoulders and added that he was confident that India would live upto its expectations.

The Foreign Minister of Yemen said the achievements of IOC-ARC could not have been realised without the goodwill, co-operation and support of all member states who strove to give the association a solid foundation. IOC-ARC is grouping of 18 countries around the Indian ocean.