In news
For the first time, the Indian Navy participated in the IN – EUNAVFOR joint naval exercise in the Gulf of Aden recently.
Key updates
- Indian Naval Ship Trikand, a mission deployed for Anti-Piracy Operations, participated in this maiden joint naval exercise.
- A total of five warships from four navies have participated in the exercise on 18th and 19th June 2021.
- Other warships include Italian Navy Ship ITS Carabiniere, Spanish Navy Ship ESPS Navarra, and two French Navy Ships FS Tonnerre and FS Surcouf.
- The two day exercise included advanced air defence and anti-submarine exercises, cross deck helicopter operations, tactical manoeuvres, boarding operations, underway replenishment, Search & Rescue, Man Overboard drills, and other maritime security operations.
- Concurrently, a virtual “Information sharing Exercise” is also being conducted between the Indian Navy Information Fusion Centre – Indian Ocean Region and Maritime Security Centre-Horn of Africa on 18 June 21.
Indian Navy & EUNAVFOR
- Both converge on multiple issues including counter piracy operations and protection of vessels deployed under the charter of World Food Programme (UN WFP).
- Both also have regular interaction through SHADE (Shared Awareness and De-confliction) meetings held annually at Bahrain.
About EU NAVFOR( Operation Atalanta)
The European Union Naval Force Somalia (EU NAVFOR) – Operation ATALANTA was launched on 8th December 2008 in accordance with the relevant United Nations Security Council’s resolutions to deter, prevent and repress piracy and to protect vulnerable vessels and humanitarian shipments off the coast of Somalia. The Operation has been extended by the European Council until December 2016 and has the following objectives:
- Protects vessels of the World Food Programme (WFP) and other vulnerable shipping.
- Deters and disrupts piracy and armed robbery at sea.
- Monitors fishing activities off the coast of Somalia.
- Supports other EU missions and international organisations working to strengthen maritime security and capacity in the region.
The Operational Headquarters of EU NAVFOR Somalia is located in Rota (Spain).
EU NAVFOR operates in an Area of Operations covering the Southern Red Sea, the Gulf of Aden and a large part of the Indian Ocean, including the Seychelles, Mauritius and Comoros. The Area of Operations also includes the Somali coastal territory, as well as its territorial and internal waters.
