NEW DELHI: India and the European Union (EU) will carry out a three -day joint naval exercise in the Indian Ocean, reflecting increasing security cooperation between the two parties.
The joint exercise, scheduled for June 1 to 3, will involve war ships from the Indian Navy and two frigates, one from Italy and another from Spain, deployed with the operation of the naval force of the European Union Atalanta in the Indian Ocean.
“The joint exercise will focus on advanced counter-piracy, interoperability, tactical maneuvers and improved communication protocols, reflecting the growing cooperation of maritime security between the two parties,” the EU said in a statement.
Naval cooperation between the EU and India has developed in recent years thanks to joint exercises in the Gulf of Guinea and the Gulf of Aden. The Indian Navy provided an escort to ships chartered by the World Food Program in coordination with the Atalanta operation.
India and the EU have increased maritime security cooperation in recent years, and several members of the European Bloc have issued their strategies for Indo-Pacific. “The EU and India share a strong commitment to a free, open, inclusive maritime order based on rules in the Indo-Pacific region,” the statement said.
This commitment is supported by respect for territorial integrity and sovereignty, democracy, the rule of law, freedom of navigation and overview, a legitimate trade without hindrance and a peaceful resolution of disputes in accordance with international law, in particular the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (CONNLO).
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.
The Atalanta operation was launched in 2008 to combat hacking and armed robbery in the Gulf of Aden, and its mandate has evolved over time to include a range of security challenges, including counter-nostolores, smuggling of weapons and the fight against illegal, unresolved and unregulated fishing in the Klaxon of Africa and the Indian Western Indian Ocean.
War vessels of the EU member states deployed with the Atalanta operation in the Indian Ocean have conducted passing exercises or “Passex” with the Indian Navy in the past.
About The Author
