The maiden Indian Navy and European Union Naval Force (EUNAVFOR) exercise began in the Gulf of Aden on Friday. A total of five warships from four navies were participating in the two-day exercise, the Navy said.
“Ships of the four navies will endeavour to enhance and hone their war-fighting skills and their ability as an integrated force to promote, peace, security and stability in the maritime domain,” a statement from the Navy said. Concurrently, a virtual “Information sharing Exercise” was conducted between the Indian Navy’s Information Fusion Centre for Indian Ocean Region and Maritime Security Centre-Horn of Africa on Friday.
INS Trikand, mission deployed for anti-piracy operations, is participating in the exercise. Other warships include Italy’s ITS Carabinere, the Spanish Navy’s ESPS Navarra, and FS Tonnerre and FS Surcouf of France.
The exercise would see high tempo-naval operations at sea, including advanced air defence and anti-submarine exercises, cross-deck helicopter operations, tactical manoeuvres, boarding operations, underway replenishment, search and rescue, man overboard drills, and other maritime security operations, the statement said.
The EUNAVFOR and the Indian Navy converged on multiple issues, including counter-piracy operations and protection of vessels deployed under the charter of World Food Programme, the Navy said.
The two sides also have regular interaction through SHADE (Shared Awareness and De-confliction) meetings held annually in Bahrain. “This engagement underscores the shared values as partner navies, in ensuring freedom of seas and commitment to an open, inclusive and a rules-based international order,” the Navy added.