At the first General Assembly of the International Association of Aids to Marine Navigation (IALA) held in Singapore, India was elected as its Vice President.

It was established as a non-governmental organization (NGO) in 1957. It is an international organization who contribute to safe, efficient and environmentally sound marine operations to coordinate and harmonize marine aids to navigation (AtoN).

It became an Intergovernmental Organization (IGO) on 22 August 2024, rectifying by 34 states. It’s headquarter is in Saint-Germain-en-Laye, France.

Structure of the Organization:

• The General Assembly, the top governing body, meets every four years.

• Council: The executive branch's decision-making body.

• Technical committees: standardization is worked on by experts from different countries

Objectives & Goals:

• Ensuring vessels move safely and effectively using marine navigation aids

• Unify the world's marine navigation systems.

• Promoting sustainable preservation of the marine

• Encouraging technology development to improve navigational safety.

Contributions and Duties:

• IALA develops standards, guidelines and courses for the consistent safety of navigation. It promotes best practice for the effectiveness of navigation.

• Enhance Environmental Protection & Maritime Safety: Reduce marine accidents and conserve ecosystems. Build reliable navigation systems in developing countries

• New Technologies: IALA sets up technical committees to encourage new developments in navigation and to promote co-operation to incorporate modern solutions.

• Promote international cooperation: Training in AtoN system harmonization. Conferences to promote international maritime cooperation.