EU Naval Force Operation Atalanta proposes joint exercise with Indian Navy

New Delhi: European Union Naval Force Operation ATALANTA has proposed conducting a joint exercise with the Indian Navy next month seeking to boost interoperability and efforts to counter piracy and other maritime threats.

European Union Naval Force Operation ATALANTA -- EUNAVFOR ATALANTA -- is the EU military operation to contribute to the maritime security in the Western Indian Ocean and in the Red Sea.

Interacting with reporters at the embassy of the Delegation of the European Union to India here, its Operation Commander Vice Admiral Ignacio Villanueva Serrano on Thursday said he recognises the Indian Navy as a "major actor" in the area in which it operates.

Vice Admiral Serrano emphasised that the Indian Ocean must be a "free, open, sustainable and inclusive area".

The move reflects the growing maritime security cooperation between the two sides.

EUNAVFOR ATALANTA, since 2008, plays a vital role in the EU's Common Security and Defence Policy and EU's Naval Diplomacy for the Indo-Pacific.

Asked if the coordination with partner navies in recent time has resulted in reduction of piracy cases, Vice Admiral Serrano said in the middle of Indian Ocean, "no major cases of piracy" has been reported in the last eight months, other than in territorial waters off Somalia.

"So, there is a need to keep coordinating, to keep the seas safe," he told reporters, and said last year a total of about 70 pirates were captured by various maritime forces, including Indian Navy and EUNAVFOR ATALANTA. The coordination is working, and "surge" in piracy cases has stopped in that region, but there will be some cases and "we will have to watch it" and ensure the guard is not lowered, he said.

The proposed exercise is an opportunity to be "more efficient together", he said.

EUNAVFOR ATALANTA, being part of the EU's integrated approach to the Horn of Africa, maintains close linkages with EU representations across the area and contributes to the implementation of EU programmes aimed to enhance the regional maritime security architecture, according to its official website.

"We are one of the tools to keep the ocean safe...to work on the maritime security of the Indian Ocean. So, that is why I came, I came here to the co-ordination, to meet our counterparts, to do things effectively, for the good of the people," Vice Admiral Serrano said.

The operation commander of EUNAVFOR ATALANTA asserted that "we are ready to keep working together".

"I made a proposal to the Indian Navy and Indian authorities, to do an exercise around end of May. If it is finally approved, I will be sending two ships to Mumbai, to this exercise, and to practice and enhance the coordination and cooperation with the Indian Navy," he said, adding that is the vision with which he came to India.

A letter has been sent from the operation commander ATALANTA to Director General Naval Operations (DGNO) in the Indian Navy as well through the EU Delegation here, Vice Admiral Serrano said.

He said he encounters Indian Navy ships in the area many times.

"The coordination has always been good and very professional. And, we want to keep it that way. I recognise the Indian Navy as a major actor in the area. We will complement and definitely will be efficient working together," he said.

The military officer said exercise between Operation ATALANTA and Indian Navy happens regularly. The most common exercise, "we call PASSEX", he said.

"'PASSEX' means, we are at sea, we see each other. Let's make it a quick interoperability exercise, what is working and what is not working. But, what I am talking about is a little higher than that," he said.

"So, first I want the commanding officers of the vessels to know each other, I want the crew to know each other. I want both the ATALANTA and the Indian Navy to plan the exercise together, I want to execute couple of days, counter-piracy operations, tactical manoeuvres, etc," Vice Admiral Serrano said.

That is the purpose and it is a "good moment" and it is important for EUNAVFOR ATALANTA to coordinate with the Indian Navy.

The military officer also visited the Information Fusion Centre-Indian Ocean Region (IFC-IOR), a strategic centre based in Gurugram.

"VAdm Ignacio Villanueva Serrano, Commander, #OperationATALANTA, @EUNAVFOR visited #IFCIOR, testifying shared commitments to regional stability and information exchange in the #IOR. Productive discussions focused on enhancing mechanisms to counter piracy, illicit trafficking and maritime threats in the #IOR.

@indiannavy," the IFC-IOR posted on X on Thursday.

During his interaction with reporters in Delhi, he was also asked how was the coordination between EUNAVFOR ATALANTA and the Indian Navy in the wake of incidents of attacks by rebels in Red Sea in recent months.

"There are various level of coordination. The coordination that we now have with Indian Navy is positive and good.

"And, I think, we are going to be keep doing that.. Higher coordination I think will be dependent on situation, and we are not looking immediately at higher coordination. But, we are connected through our maritime security centres. We know each other's intentions," he added.

On a query on presence of Chinese warships and other vessels in the area of operation of EUNAVFOR ATALANTA, he said, "We know their moves, they know our moves." "Our relation with them is professional and frank. But, we do not have a lot of interaction with each other."