India and Greece just wrapped up their first-ever joint naval exercise in the Mediterranean Sea, boosting ties between the two countries’ militaries. The Indian Navy and Hellenic Navy finished the event on September 18, sharing tips on best practices and building stronger professional connections.
The exercise kicked off with a harbor phase from September 13 to 17 in Salamis Bay, Greece. INS Trikand, an Indian Navy frigate, docked there as part of its Mediterranean deployment. Sailors from both sides swapped visits across decks, held professional talks, and joined a pre-sail planning session aboard the Greek ship HS Themistokles. They also hosted a lively cultural event on INS Trikand, welcoming India’s ambassador to Greece, Rudrendra Tandon, and top Hellenic Navy leaders. To top it off, the crews explored the iconic Acropolis in Athens, fostering people-to-people bonds.
Things ramped up during the sea phase on September 17 and 18. The navies practiced night-time Visit, Board, Search, and Seizure (VBSS) drills, replenishment at sea, joint anti-submarine warfare (ASW) operations, coordinated gunfire exercises, and helicopter swaps between ships. These drills sharpened their teamwork and ability to work together seamlessly in real-world scenarios.
The Indian Navy highlighted the exercise on X (formerly Twitter), calling it a “milestone in India-Greece defense cooperation.” It praised how the event helped develop interoperability and operational synergy between the two forces. After the wrap-up, INS Trikand sailed off for the next leg of its regional mission.
This came right after INS Trikand’s stop in Alexandria, Egypt, where it joined Exercise Bright Star 2025 from September 1 to 10. Hosted by Egypt, that multinational drill focused on tackling both traditional and emerging maritime threats through shared expertise.
Overall, these naval exercises show growing collaboration between India and its partners in the Mediterranean, helping navies stay ready for global challenges.
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