India, European Union Naval Force plan joint naval exercise

Representative image. Photo credit: X/@indiannavy

The Indian Navy and the European Union Naval Force (EUNAVFOR) will hold a joint exercise at sea soon.

The exercise will see the participation of ESPS Reina Sofia and ITS Antonio Marceglia from EUNAVFOR, as well as ships and aircraft from the Indian Navy. The complex tactical exercises are aimed at enhancing the interoperability between the two sides and enabling seamless operations when deployed for combating non-traditional threats such as piracy and smuggling in the Indian Ocean Region, according to a release.

In the run-up to the exercise, ESPS Reina Sofia, commanded by Commander Salvador Moreno Regil of the Spanish Navy, and ITS Antonio Marceglia, commanded by Cdr Alberto Bartolomeo of the Italian Navy, were in Mumbai from May 26 to June 1 on a short port visit. Both ships presently operate under EUNAVFOR. “The visit is significant as it is their first such visit to India under the aegis of the European Union,” the release said.

Shared goal

The development was a follow-up to the discussions between Prime Minister Narendra Modi and European Union President Ursula von der Leyen, highlighting their shared commitment towards international peace and security.

The EUNAVFOR side led by Rear Admiral Davide Da Pozzo, Force Commander, Op Atalanta, interacted with Rear Admiral Vidyadhar Harke, Chief Staff Officer (Operations), Western Naval Command of the Indian Navy, at the Western Naval Command headquarters, and held discussions on furthering maritime cooperation between the two sides.

Boosting cooperation

Both the naval forces also took part in some harbour engagements. “Both sides agreed on the need for extended cooperation in the military domain, and the meeting was a stepping stone for expanding avenues of cooperation between the Indian Navy and EUNAVFOR. During the ships’ stay in harbour, activities such as subject matter expert exchanges and a table-top exercise were conducted between the two sides, aimed at refining key issues necessary for tactical-level cooperation at sea,” it said.

“Both India and EU share a strong commitment towards rules-based maritime order, allowing for free and open use of international waters while respecting the territorial integrity of littoral states,” said the release.

The current visit embodies the shared interest of safeguarding legitimate trade and countering non-traditional threats such as piracy and unregulated fishing. It is also in line with the discussions undertaken during the 4th India-EU Maritime Security Dialogue, held in Delhi in March 2025. “These maritime engagements will further strengthen the multi-domain cooperation between India and the EU,” it said.

Published - June 01, 2025 08:56 pm IST