This week saw European Union (EU) naval assets work alongside Indian Navy platforms during a three-day exercise with the emphasis on enhancing and improving maritime security co-operation in the Indian Ocean.
The unnamed exercise ran from 1 to 3 June in what EU NavFor Operation Atalanta said was “a vital maritime corridor for global trade and security. Deterring and tackling traditional and emerging threats, including counter-narcotics, arms smuggling or illegal, unreported and unregulated (IUU) fishing, are key priorities both for the EU and India” an Atalanta statement has it.
These priorities saw EU and Indian sailors, marines and air crews work together on tactical manoeuvres and communication protocols – seen as crucial to facing threats off the Horn of Africa and in the western Indian Ocean.
Platforms in the exercise were INS Trikand (F51) and an unnamed auxiliary ship with Atalanta contributing the Italian frigate ITS Antonio Marceglia (F597) and ESPS Reina Sofia (F84), a Spanish Navy frigate.
The exercise centred on a simulated scenario with a merchant ship under pirate attack to test the co-operation of the joint force response. This saw, among others, an Indian Navy maritime patrol aircraft (MPA) work with the Reina Sofia on intelligence gathering and evaluation while the Indian frigate was the provider of sea-based intelligence as the first on-site responder.
A special operations team on the Spanish vessel planned an assault using information from both Indian assets to free the hostages on board the merchant vessel. Meanwhile, ITS Marceglia launched her helicopter for fire support during the assault. During the entire exercise, EUNavFor Atalanta Force Headquarters on board ITS Luigi Rizzo (F595) was in tactical command and co-ordinated actions taken by units on the scene.
With the boarding exercise over, the three surface assets carried out formation exercises, proving inter-operability for both the Atalanta and Indian Navy assets.
“The whole exercise represented a huge milestone,” said Atalanta Force Commander, Rear Admiral Davide Da Pozzo. “It was the first time that Atalanta and India conducted such complex exercises at sea. This represents an encouraging step in the growing cooperation between Atalanta and the Indian Navy, for the sake of maritime security.”
While visiting the European ships ahead of the exercise, the EU Ambassador to India, Hervé Delphin, emphasised the value of such activities. “The strategic importance of the Indian Ocean is as crucial for the EU as it is for India. There is a strong interest and momentum on both EU and India sides to deepen our cooperation from political to operational cooperation levels.” The boosting of EU-Indian cooperation is necessary “for a secure, free and open Indian Ocean and Indo-Pacific.”
The European Union said the naval exercise is a key step in the growing cooperation between the EU and India. It followed the first ever port call of EU NavFor Atalanta ships in India, carried out in Mumbai between 26-31 May 2025.
The EU and India held a fourth Maritime Security Dialogue in March. They have also previously conducted “passing exercises” (passex) when naval assets are in the same area to ensure that navies are able to communicate and cooperate in times of crisis at sea.
Over recent years, EU-India naval cooperation has expanded beyond the Indian Ocean. Joint exercises have taken place in the Gulf of Guinea and Gulf of Aden. The Indian Navy also supports escort missions for World Food Programme vessels coordinated by EU NavFor Atalanta.
The Indian Navy has been heavily involved in Indian Ocean maritime security since 2008 when it commenced anti-piracy operations in the Gulf of Aden, and subsequently near the Seychelles. Activity has increased within the last year: in November 2023 India sent three guided missile destroyers, and aircraft, to the Gulf of Aden after Yemen’s Houthi rebels targeted ships in solidarity with Hamas. India’s Navy subsequently assisted numerous vessels hit by Houthi attacks, and rescued nearly half a dozen vessels from resurgent Somali-based pirates. One notable operation in March 2024 saw warships, UAVs, a Boeing P-8I and a paratrooper-dropping Boeing C-17 free the MV Ruen following its December 2023 hijacking. The landmark operation occurred 1 400 nautical miles from India.
Within the last 18 months India has responded to about 20 incidents in the western Indian Ocean, deploying 21 ships and 5 000 personnel in rotation, boarding and investigating over 1 000 vessels, with up to a dozen warships deployed on some days as the Navy attempts to be a ‘first responder and preferred security partner’ in the Indian Ocean.
