The Indian Navy announced the beginning of joint exercises with warships from the EU Naval Force (EUNAVFOR) in Mumbai on Sunday.
The Indian Navy called the visit of the EUNAVFOR warships ‘significant’ being the ‘first such visit to India,’ with the European Union saying the exercises build on ‘the visit of the College of Commissioners to India in February 2025, with key deliverables including enhancing ‘engagement on maritime domain awareness with a view to promote shared assessment, coordination and interoperability.’
According to the Indian Navy, a Spanish warship and an Italian warship have arrived in Mumbai last Monday for an ‘operational turnaround.’ The warship, ESPS Reina Sofia, is commanded by Cdr Salvador Moreno Regil of the Spanish Navy and the ITS Antonio Marceglia is commanded by Cdr Alberto Bartolomeo of the Italian Navy.
The European Union said on Thursday the two frigates from the European Union Naval Force (EUNAVFOR) Operation ATALANTA, along with their air assets, will focus on ‘advanced counter-piracy operations, interoperability, tactical manoeuvres, and enhanced communication protocols, reflecting the growing maritime security cooperation between the two sides,’ as part of the exercises between June 01 to June 03, controlled by the ‘respective Maritime Operations Centres (MOC).’
The EU statement also pointed out the ‘fourth EU-India Maritime Security Dialogue held in March 2025 also emphasised countering illicit maritime activities and exploring new joint maritime initiatives,’ and was followed by a visit by Operation Commander of EUNAVFOR ATALANTA, Vice Admiral Ignacio Villanueva Serrano, to India in April to ‘elevate bilateral cooperation with the Indian Navy.’
According to the Indian Navy, ‘the EUNAVFOR side, led by Rear Admiral Davide Da Pozzo, Force Commander, Op Atalanta, interacted with Rear Admiral Vidyadhar Harke VSM, Chief Staff Officer (Operations), Western Naval Command of the Indian Navy at the Headquarters, Western Naval Command,’ as part Sunday’s engagement.
The European Union noted in its statement the expansion of ‘naval cooperation between the EU and India’ ‘with joint exercises in the Gulf of Guinea and Gulf of Aden,’ adding, “The Indian Navy has also been providing escort to World Food Programme chartered vessels, coordinated by EUNAVFOR Operation ATALANTA.”
While, Operation ATALANTA was launched in 2008 to ‘tackle piracy and armed robbery in the Gulf of Aden,’ its mandate has evolved to include other security challenges ‘including counter-narcotics, arms smuggling, and combating illegal, unreported, and unregulated (IUU) fishing in the Horn of Africa and western Indian Ocean,’ according to the European Union.
The Indian Navy said the two forces conducted ‘Subject Matter Expert Exchanges (SMEEs) and a Table Top Exercise (TTX)’ ‘aimed at refining key issues necessary for tactical-level cooperation at sea.’ “The harbour engagements laid the foundation for the Joint Exercise between the Indian Navy and EUNAVFOR which is planned post-departure of the ships from Mumbai on Jun 01 2025,” said the navy, which added, “The complex tactical exercises are aimed at enhancing the interoperability between the two sides and will enable seamless operations when deployed for combating non-traditional threats in the Indian Ocean Region.”
In the past, engagement of EUNAVFOR ATALANTA warships in the Indian Ocean with the Indian Navy has been limited to “Passing Exercises” (PASSEX) at sea.
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