Operation Atalanta and the Indian Navy working for maritime security in the western Indian Ocean

• The Spanish frigate Navarra, flagship of Atalanta, has carried out joint training and cooperation activities with the Indian Navy during her call in the Seychelles.

During her stopover in Port Victoria (Seychelles), the frigate Navarra, part of the European Union (EU) Operation Atalanta, carried out joint activities with the ships INS Tir, INS Shardul and ICGS Sarathi, all belonging to the Indian Navy's First Training Squadron.

First, the Force Commander (FCR) of Operation Atalanta, Rear Admiral Javier Vázquez, accompanied by the commander of the frigate Navarra, Commander Valentín Calvar, visited the Commander of the Indian Naval Group, Captain Tijo K. Joseph. During the meeting, the Spanish Rear Admiral expressed Operation Atalanta's full willingness to strengthen cooperation with the Indian Navy, with which it shares strategic objectives in the western Indian Ocean. Both commanders also agreed on the need to increase joint training at sea, with the aim of enhancing interoperability.

In addition, Indian Navy cadets attended a talk on Operation Atalanta, where they learned about its structure, mission and objectives, which provided them with valuable insight for their future careers as officers.

Finally, a delegation of Indian Navy cadets visited the frigate Navarra, flagship of the fiftieth rotation of Operation Atalanta since it began its deployment in 2008. During the visit, the Indian military explored her systems and capabilities, including the SH60B helicopter and the Scan Eagle drone, which are essential to fulfilling her mission in the fight against piracy in the Indian Ocean.

These collaborative activities consolidate one of Operation Atalanta's most valuable assets: cooperation with the naval forces operating in the region. This exchange of resources and intelligence strengthens accurate knowledge of the maritime environment, ensuring the effective fulfilment of the mission to combat piracy in the Indian Ocean and the achievement of a safer maritime environment in the region. As the Force Commander points out, these cooperation activities “have been a valuable rapprochement with the Indian Navy, which is becoming increasingly comfortable with Atalanta, confident in the mission and also in the way we approach our presence in the western Indian Ocean”.

The Navarra in Atalanta

The Navarra joined Operation Atalanta on 11 June, after the handover with frigate Reina Sofía in Djibouti. As part of the Spanish Navy's 41st Escort Squadron, the Navarra is based in Rota, Cádiz. In 2024, she celebrated 30 years of service in the Navy, and this is the sixth time she has been deployed as part of the European anti-piracy operation. More than 220 military personnel are on board, including a Shipborne Air Unit (with an SH-60B helicopter and a SCAN EAGLE unmanned vehicle), a Marine Corps Security Operations Team and the components of the operation's General Staff, under the command of Rear Admiral Vázquez.

As a sign of our commitment to security in the region, Spain has been the only European Union country to participate continuously in Operation Atalanta since its deployment began.