In a major step towards improving the cooperation in maritime security, two warships in the European Union naval (Eunavfor) – ESPS Reina Sofia (Spanish Marine) and its Antonio Marceglia (Italian Navy) – arrived in Mumbai for the very first EU naval visit to India. The ships were moored in Mumbai from May 26 to June 1 for an operational turnaround.
The visit follows high level talks between Prime Minister Narendra Modi and the president of the European Commission Ursula von der Leyen.
The counter-admiral Davide Da Pozzo, commander of the force operation, Atalanta, led the side of the EU in the discussions with the counter-admiral Vidyadhar Harke VSM, director of staff (operations), Western Naval Command. The two parties agreed to deepen cooperation in the military field, emphasizing maritime operations.
During the port phase, Indian navy and EU staff are engaged in experts in the field and table exercise, focusing on anti-pirate, anti-clicking and other non-traditional security threats. These interactions prepared the land for joint naval exercises in the Oman Sea after the departure of ships on June 1 (Sunday).
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Maritime drills will involve ships and planes from the Indian Navy as well as the War Visit War and Visit to improve interoperability and operational coordination in the Indian Ocean region, in particular to deal with problems such as hacking, smuggling and illegal fishing.
This historic visit reflects the results of the 4th EU-EU maritime security dialogue, which was held in New Delhi in March 2025 and marks a growing multi-domain partnership between India and the European Union.
The two parties reaffirmed their support for a maritime order based on rules, guaranteeing free and open seas while respecting the sovereignty of coastal states.
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