Mumbai: The maiden visit of European Union Naval Force ships, ESPS Reina Sofia of the Spanish Navy and ITS Antonio Marceglia of the Italian Navy, to Mumbai from May 26 to June 1, 2025, has concluded with strategic engagements and a joint naval exercise at sea, marking a significant step in India-European Union maritime cooperation.
Commanded by Commander Salvador Moreno Regil and Commander Alberto Bartolomeo, respectively, the ships’ visit, the first under the European Union Naval Force, follows discussions between Prime Minister Narendra Modi and European Union President Ursula von der Leyen, reflecting a shared commitment to international peace and security.
During their stay in Mumbai, the European Union Naval Force ( EUNAVFOR) delegation, led by Rear Admiral Davide Da Pozzo, Force Commander of Operation Atalanta, met Rear Admiral Vidyadhar Harke, Chief Staff Officer (Operations) of the Indian Navy’s Western Naval Command, at the command’s headquarters. The discussions focused on enhancing maritime cooperation, with both sides agreeing on the need for extended collaboration in the military domain to address shared challenges in the Indian Ocean Region. This meeting, building on the 4th India-European Union Maritime Security Dialogue held in New Delhi in March 2025, served as a foundation for expanding avenues of partnership between the Indian Navy and the European Union Naval Force.
While in port, personnel from both navies participated in Subject Matter Expert Exchanges and a Table Top Exercise, aimed at refining tactical-level cooperation for joint operations at sea. These activities facilitated the sharing of experiences from anti-piracy and anti-smuggling operations, covering strategies to counter non-traditional threats such as piracy, smuggling, and illegal, unreported, and unregulated fishing, which pose risks to global trade and regional stability. The exchanges proved beneficial for both sides, laying the groundwork for a joint exercise at sea, which commenced after the ships departed Mumbai on June 1, 2025.
The joint exercise involves ESPS Reina Sofia, ITS Antonio Marceglia, and a contingent of Indian Navy ships and aircraft. The exercise focuses on complex tactical manoeuvres to enhance interoperability, enabling seamless operations during joint deployments against non-traditional threats in the Indian Ocean Region, a critical corridor for global trade.
India and the European Union share a commitment to a rules-based maritime order, ensuring free and open use of international waters while respecting the territorial integrity of coastal states. This visit and the subsequent exercise align with their mutual interest in safeguarding legitimate trade and combating illicit maritime activities, as discussed during the March 2025 dialogue.
The engagements in Mumbai and the ongoing exercise at sea reflect the growing multi-domain cooperation between India and the European Union, aimed at promoting stability and security in the Indo-Pacific region. The visit of the European Union Naval Force ships to India, the first of its kind, signifies a milestone in bilateral maritime relations, paving the way for future joint initiatives to address evolving challenges in the maritime domain.
– global bihari bureau
