In a first, India, EU carry out joint naval drills in Gulf of Guinea

NEW DELHI: India and the European Union carried out their first joint naval exercise in the Gulf of Guinea this week, reflecting growing maritime security cooperation between the two sides.

The exercise took place on Tuesday, around three weeks after the EU-India Maritime Security Dialogue in Brussels deliberated on ways to expand cooperation in the maritime sphere.

The defence ministry said Tuesday’s exercise reflected the breadth and dynamism of EU-India cooperation on maritime security, and signalled the common determination to uphold the United Nations Convention on Law of the Sea (UNCLOS).

It said the drills were aimed reinforcing naval maritime security cooperation in support of the region.

“On October 24, the European Union (EU) and India conducted their first joint naval exercise in the Gulf of Guinea,” it said. During the exercise, Indian Navy’s INS Sumedha, an offshore patrol vessel, was joined by ships from three EU member states.