- First visit of Operation ATALANTA Commander to India under the framework of the EU-India relationship.
- The aim was to enhance cooperation and discuss about a possible joint exercise at sea between European Naval Force ATALANTA and the Indian Navy in the following months.
From April 14 to 18, Operation ATALANTA Commander, Vice Admiral Ignacio Villanueva Serrano travelled to India for the first official visit. The visit focused on enhancing the cooperation between the Indian Navy and EUNAVFOR ATALANTA under the framework of the EU-India cooperation. EUNAVFOR Operation ATALANTA, the EU military operation, contributes to the maritime security in the Western Indian Ocean and in the Red Sea.
The Indian Navy is a key security partner in the Indian Ocean Region. The core topics of the visit were to discuss actions to enhance operational cooperation and coordination at sea and to propose the organisation of a joint naval exercise between the Indian Navy and ATALANTA. Prior to his departure, ATALANTA Operation Commander had the opportunity to speak by videoconference with the Director General Naval Operations (DGNO), Vice Admiral AN Pramod.
Then, during his time in India, Vice Admiral Villanueva met with various high level military authorities to exchange views on the current cooperation and seek opportunities to foster relationships. This included the Commanding-in-Chief of the Western Naval Command, Vice Admiral Sanjay Sasjit Singh, the Assistant Chief of naval staff, Rear Admiral SR Sequira. He also had the honour to meet different representatives of the Ministry of External Affairs, notably, the Secretary West of the Ministry of External Affairs, H.E. Tanmaya Lal.
ATALANTA Operation Commander had the opportunity to learn first-hand about the work of the Western Naval Command and exchange views on the situation in the area. Vice Admiral Villanueva also visited the Information Fusion Center for the Indian Ocean Region (IFC-IOR) where productive discussions were held on how to enhance the relationship between this centre and ATALANTA’s Maritime Security Indian Ocean (MSCIO). He visited the National Maritime Foundation and exchanged views with its Director General, Vice Admiral (retired) Pradeep Chauhan.
On the EU side, Operation ATALANTA Commander met with EU Ambassador to India, H.E. Ambassador Hervé Delphin. He also briefed the European Ambassadors, and their Defence attaches about ATALANTA's strategic and operational actuality.
Operation ATALANTA and the Indian Navy
Since the launching of the operation, the relationship between ATALANTA and the Indian Navy is a testimony of a shared commitment to ensure maritime security in the Western Indian Ocean. In 2022, Sea joint activities with Indian vessels were successfully organized contributing to the protection of the freedom of navigation and helping to strengthen the relation.
On September 2024, an Indian inter-ministerial delegation visited Brussels and the OHQ in Rota, which focused on The Common Security and Defence Policy mechanisms and was organised by the ESIWA program.
