Australia's High Commissioner told India Barry O'Farrell that the member countries of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN), Australia and India, should work together to address ocean health and strive to develop smart ports through the Indo-Pacific Oceans Initiative (IPOI).

The IPOI was organized by the Center for Public Policy Research (CPPR) in partnership with Monash University, with support from the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade (DFAT), Australia.

PM Narendra Modi had announced IPOI at the 14th East Asia Summit in Bangkok in 2019. The IPOI is an open, non-tolerable, inclusive platform for cooperation in the Indo-Pacific region.

Australia and Japan have already taken positions on the Marine Ecology and Connectivity pillars, while France and Indonesia have adopted the Marine Resources pillar.