New Delhi, May 29 (PTI), India and the European Union (EU) will carry out a joint naval exercise in the Indian Ocean next month in accordance with their growing defense and their strategic cooperation.
The three -day joint exercise, starting on Sunday, will involve war ships from the Indian Navy and two frigates, one from Italy and another from Spain, deployed with the naval force of the European Union within the framework of the Atalanta operation.
“The joint exercise will focus on advanced counter-piracy operations, interoperability, tactical maneuvers and improved communication protocols, reflecting the growing cooperation of maritime security between the two parties,” said the EU on Thursday.
India and the EU plan to expand cooperation in maritime security in order to promote shared assessment, coordination and interoperability.
The Indian Navy provided an escort to ships chartered by the World Food Program in coordination with the Atalanta operation.
“The EU and India share a strong commitment to a free, open, inclusive maritime order based on rules in the Indo-Pacific region,” the EU said in a statement.
“This commitment is supported by respect for territorial integrity and sovereignty, democracy, the rule of law, freedom of navigation and overview, legitimate trade without obstacles and the peaceful resolution of disputes in accordance with international law, in particular to the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (CNONDO)”, he said.
The joint exercise will be based on the visit to India by the college of the EU commissioners led by the president of the European Commission Ursula von der Leyen in February.
One of the main deliverables of this visit was an improved commitment to awareness of the maritime field in order to promote shared evaluation, coordination and interoperability.
The fourth EU-India maritime security dialogue, held in March, underlined the need for cooperation to counter illegal maritime activities and explore new joint maritime initiatives aligned with the objectives of the joint financial year.
The vice-admiral Ignacio Villanueva Serrano, the commander of the operation of Operation Atalanta, visited India in April to strengthen cooperation with the Indian Navy.
Launched in 2008 to fight against hacking and armed robbery in the Gulf of Aden, the mandate of Operation Atalanta has evolved over the years.
It includes a wide range of security challenges, including counter-notots, smuggling weapons and the fight against illegal, unsuccessful and unregulated (UIU) fishing in the Horn of Africa and the Western Indian Ocean.
War vessels of the EU member states deployed with the Atalanta operation in the Indian Ocean have carried out passing exercises or “passx” with the Indian navy in the past.
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