India, European Union Naval Force plan joint naval exercise
The exercise will see the participation of ESPS Reina Sofia and ITS Antonio Marceglia from EUNAVFOR, as well as ships and aircraft from the Indian Navy. The complex tactical exercises are aimed at enhancing the interoperability between the two sides and enabling seamless operations when deployed for combating non-traditional threats such as piracy and smuggling in the Indian Ocean Region, according to a release.
In the run-up to the exercise, ESPS Reina Sofia, commanded by Commander Salvador Moreno Regil of the Spanish Navy, and ITS Antonio Marceglia, commanded by Cdr Alberto Bartolomeo of the Italian Navy, were in Mumbai from May 26 to June 1 on a short port visit. Both ships presently operate under EUNAVFOR. 'The visit is significant as it is their first such visit to India under the aegis of the European Union,' the release said.
Shared goal
The development was a follow-up to the discussions between Prime Minister Narendra Modi and European Union President Ursula von der Leyen, highlighting their shared commitment towards international peace and security.
The EUNAVFOR side led by Rear Admiral Davide Da Pozzo, Force Commander, Op Atalanta, interacted with Rear Admiral Vidyadhar Harke, Chief Staff Officer (Operations), Western Naval Command of the Indian Navy, at the Western Naval Command headquarters, and held discussions on furthering maritime cooperation between the two sides.
Boosting cooperation
Both the naval forces also took part in some harbour engagements. 'Both sides agreed on the need for extended cooperation in the military domain, and the meeting was a stepping stone for expanding avenues of cooperation between the Indian Navy and EUNAVFOR. During the ships' stay in harbour, activities such as subject matter expert exchanges and a table-top exercise were conducted between the two sides, aimed at refining key issues necessary for tactical-level cooperation at sea,' it said.
'Both India and EU share a strong commitment towards rules-based maritime order, allowing for free and open use of international waters while respecting the territorial integrity of littoral states,' said the release.
The current visit embodies the shared interest of safeguarding legitimate trade and countering non-traditional threats such as piracy and unregulated fishing. It is also in line with the discussions undertaken during the 4th India-EU Maritime Security Dialogue, held in Delhi in March 2025. 'These maritime engagements will further strengthen the multi-domain cooperation between India and the EU,' it said.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
&w=3840&q=100)
First Post
35 minutes ago
- First Post
Why Ukraine may get to join the EU but not Nato right now
Ukraine's push for European Union membership is advancing despite Hungary's resistance, but Nato accession remains off the table. Instead, Western leaders are exploring 'Article 5-style' security guarantees to protect Kyiv without triggering a direct clash with Russia European Parliament President Roberta Metsola holds an EU flag with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy at the European Parliament during an address in Brussels, Belgium, February 9, 2023. File Image/European Union via Reuters While Ukraine's path toward joining the European Union (EU) is slowly advancing, albeit with major obstacles, its entry into Nato remains blocked. Instead, Western leaders are exploring 'Article 5-style' security guarantees that might shield Ukraine from future Russian aggression without granting it formal membership in the transatlantic alliance. On Monday, United States President Donald Trump made a direct appeal to Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán after lengthy discussions with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy and a group of European leaders in Washington. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD The talks, held at the White House, centred on finding a unified strategy to push forward both peace negotiations with Russia and Ukraine's integration with Europe. Individuals familiar with the matter told Bloomberg that Trump was urged by European counterparts to use his personal influence over Orbán, a figure often at odds with the EU, to convince him to drop his opposition to Ukraine's EU membership talks. Hungary has been one of the most significant obstacles to Kyiv's European aspirations, having blocked the start of formal accession negotiations despite overwhelming support from other EU states. Orbán, who has built a reputation as one of the EU's most defiant leaders, responded by doubling down on his objections. He wrote on Facebook: 'Ukraine's membership in the European Union does not provide any security guarantees. Therefore linking membership with security guarantees is unnecessary and dangerous.' The Hungarian leader has frequently aligned himself with Russia on sanctions and aid issues, providing Moscow with diplomatic cover inside the EU. The Trump-Orbán call came only days after Trump's own meeting with Russian President Vladimir Putin in Alaska. Trump suggested he wanted to facilitate a direct summit between Putin and Zelenskyy, followed by a trilateral meeting that he himself would attend. No location or timetable for such an encounter has been set, though Hungary has expressed willingness to host. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD How Ukraine may join EU Ukraine's pursuit of EU membership began in the immediate aftermath of the invasion. On February 28, 2022, just four days after Russian forces crossed its borders, Zelenskyy signed the formal application. The urgency reflected Kyiv's desire to cement its place in the European family and to seek long-term protection against Moscow's ambitions. Eight EU member states quickly backed a fast-track procedure, though European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen made clear that the accession process would still take time. Within weeks, the EU institutions moved ahead. On March 10, 2022, the Council of the European Union requested the Commission's opinion on the application. A legislative questionnaire was handed to Ukraine on April 8, with responses submitted on May 9. On June 17, 2022, the Commission recommended granting Ukraine candidate status, and six days later, the European Parliament overwhelmingly supported the move. On June 23, 2022, the European Council formally declared Ukraine a candidate for membership. The decision placed Kyiv among nine active candidate states, alongside Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Georgia, Moldova, Montenegro, North Macedonia, Serbia, and Turkey. Negotiations began in earnest on June 25, 2024, when the Council opened accession talks with both Ukraine and Moldova. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy speaks with French President Emmanuel Macron, German Chancellor Friedrich Merz, Britain's Prime Minister Keir Starmer, European Commission's President Ursula von der Leyen, Italian Prime Minister Georgia Meloni, Finland's President Alexander Stubb and NATO's Secretary General Mark Rutte, at the White House Library, in Washington, DC, US, August 18, 2025. Image/Ukrainian Presidential Press Service The step was hailed as another milestone in Ukraine's reorientation toward Western institutions, comparable to the integration of Estonia, Latvia, and Lithuania two decades earlier in 2004. However, progress has not been straightforward. In June this year, Hungary blocked the official opening of talks, citing fears of 'integrating war' into the EU. German Chancellor Friedrich Merz has also expressed doubts that Ukraine could complete the process by 2034, underscoring the long road ahead. Reforms inside Ukraine have also posed challenges. In July, parliament passed a law undermining the independence of anti-corruption institutions, a critical demand of Brussels. The European Commission quickly warned of consequences. Hours later, Zelenskyy annulled the decision and restored the independence of the agencies, declaring that the measure 'guarantees the absence of any kind of outside influence (or) interference.' Despite these hurdles, Ukraine remains firmly on the EU track. Accession, if completed, would place another former Soviet republic inside the bloc. Why Nato remains out of Ukraine's reach In contrast to its EU bid, Ukraine's chances of joining Nato remain slim for now. At the White House meeting on Monday, Nato Secretary General Mark Rutte made clear that the alliance was not discussing membership but rather a separate framework of commitments. 'The situation is this – that the US and some other countries have said that they are against Nato membership for Ukraine. The official Nato position … is that there is an irreversible path for Ukraine into Nato,' he explained. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD 'But what we are discussing here is not Nato membership, what we are discussing here is Article 5 type of security guarantees for Ukraine and what exactly they will entail will now be more specifically discussed.' The remarks reflect a long-standing dilemma. Article 5 of Nato's founding treaty, signed in 1949, binds members to treat an attack on one as an attack on all. It has only been formally invoked once, after the September 11 attacks in 2001. While the principle of collective defence is at the core of Nato's deterrence, it also raises the risk of direct confrontation with Russia, a nuclear power, should Ukraine become a member. Therefore, the focus has shifted toward designing alternative security guarantees. What 'Article 5-like' protections could mean for Ukraine Western leaders have increasingly referred to 'Article 5-style' or 'Article 5-like' protections for Ukraine. The phrase suggests a collective defence mechanism modelled on Nato's clause but without formally making Kyiv a member. White House special envoy Steve Witkoff described the concept in an interview with CNN on August 17, calling it a 'game-changing' assurance. He noted that the idea had been discussed at the Alaska summit between Trump and Putin, and claimed that Moscow would not object to such a framework as part of a broader peace deal. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD Unlike Nato's integrated military command, this arrangement would be a bespoke pact among willing nations, defining the obligations in the event of a renewed Russian offensive. The text of such guarantees would be crucial: who would commit troops or resources, under what circumstances, and with what speed. Without clear provisions, critics fear the agreement could lack credibility. Scepticism is widespread, particularly in Ukraine, which still recalls the 1994 Budapest Memorandum. Under that agreement, Ukraine gave up its inherited Soviet nuclear arsenal in exchange for assurances of territorial integrity from Russia, the United States, and the United Kingdom. Polish Foreign Minister Radoslaw Sikorski summed up the doubts bluntly, writing on X: 'On 22 April 2004 Vladimir Putin solemnly ratified the Treaty on the Russian-Ukrainian Border. Suffice to respect them and the war is over.' Still, European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen endorsed the concept, pointing out deterrence. 'As I have often said, Ukraine must become a steel porcupine, undigestible for potential invaders,' she declared. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD Nato currently has 32 members, with The US and other major Nato states believe extending Article 5 to Kyiv now would effectively mean joining Ukraine's war, something they are unwilling to do. Such special security guarantees for Ukraine raise a couple of questions: If guarantees are strong enough to deter Russia, why would Moscow accept them? Yet if they are watered down to secure Russian agreement, will they deter anyone at all? With inputs from agencies
Hindustan Times
35 minutes ago
- Hindustan Times
Russia has special mechanism to cope with US action against oil trade with India
New Delhi: Russia has a 'very special mechanism' to get around any punitive measures imposed by the US administration to curb oil supplies to India and bilateral energy trade is unlikely to be hit by sanctions and tariffs unveiled by the US and the European Union (EU), senior Russian officials said on Wednesday. India is the second largest buyer of Russian oil after China, and Moscow accounts for almost 40% of the country's energy purchases. (File Photo) Russia remains a 'partner of choice' for India in defence, and hostilities between India and Pakistan in May served as a 'very successful battle test' for Russian weaponry such as the S-400 air defence system, chargé d'affaires Roman Babushkin told a media briefing. He also confirmed that President Vladimir Putin will travel to India later this year for an annual summit though dates for the visit are yet to be finalised. India is the second largest buyer of Russian oil after China, and Moscow accounts for almost 40% of the country's energy purchases. Purchases were ramped up significantly after the West slapped sanctions on Russia over the invasion of Ukraine in 2022. The US is set to impose a 25% punitive tariff on Indian exports from August 28 over Russian oil purchases, which will be in addition to a 25% reciprocal tariff. Babushkin and deputy trade commissioner Evgeny Griva, however, were confident that Russia would be able to circumvent pressure from the US and its Western allies over energy trade with India. 'Despite the political situation, we can predict that the level of crude oil imports would be approximately the same,' Griva said. 'Definitely, there are some mechanisms to supply crude oil. We can't discuss it because it's really a very special mechanism.' Babushkin added: 'This is not the first time our trade and economic relations [have been] threatened by external factors. But each and every time, we have managed to succeed in finding ways to cooperate further based on our mutual national interests. So we are quite certain that our cooperation will continue.' The officials said oil supplies to Vadinar refinery in Gujarat, jointly owned by Russian energy giant Rosneft and an investment consortium, hadn't been impacted after it was targeted under a EU sanctions package in July. The Vadinar refinery, in which Rosneft has a 49.13% stake, is India's second largest single-site refinery with an annual capacity of 20 million metric tonnes (MMT). Russia had a mechanism to tackle shipping and insurance-related issues due to the EU sanctions and crude is supplied directly to the refinery as it is a subsidiary of Rosneft, Griva said. 'The recent package of sanctions against Russia from the EU would not have much impact on Russian oil trade because we have been able to significantly reduce our dependence on services the EU provides in recent years,' Babushkin added. Against the backdrop of criticism of India's purchases of Russian weaponry and military hardware by US President Donald Trump and senior American officials, Babushkin said Russia remains the 'partner of choice for India' in defence and pointed to the joint development of the BrahMos supersonic cruise missile since 1998. 'We have dramatically expanded the programme of our joint engagements for co-production of various sophisticated weapons,' he said. 'A Russian weapon is a natural choice for the Indian Army general. Operation Sindoor was a very successful battle test for the Russian systems and S-400 was one of them.' India used both the BrahMos missile and the S-400 air defence system during Operation Sindoor, launched on May 7 to target terrorist infrastructure in Pakistan in retaliation for the Pahalgam terror attack, and the subsequent four days of hostilities between the two countries. The Russian-origin Su-30 combat jet was also used during the hostilities to fire the BrahMos missile, and a Pakistan surveillance aircraft was shot down at a distance of about 300 km by the S-400. Babushkin said Russia is expected to be part of India's plans to create a new long-range air defence shield called Sudarshan Chakra, which was unveiled by Prime Minister Narendra Modi during his Independence Day speech. The system, integrated with offensive weapons, is expected to be operational by 2035 to guard cities and vital infrastructure. Babushkin noted that the S-400 is already part of India's air defence system and said: 'We proceed from the understanding that when it comes to the advancement of these systems, Russian equipment will be part of it.'
Hindustan Times
4 hours ago
- Hindustan Times
'Unjustified, unilateral': Russia slams Trump tariffs, backs India over crude oil purchase
Russia on Wednesday dismissed the US pressure on India over its procurement of Russian crude oil as 'unjustified and unilateral', stressing that Moscow and New Delhi would continue energy cooperation 'notwithstanding external pressure'. Prime Minister Narendra Modi receives Russian President Vladimir Putin for a meeting at Hyderabad House in New Delhi in 2021. (PTI) Briefing reporters in New Delhi, deputy chief of mission Roman Babushkin said the US has 'weaponised the economy' but added, 'friends do not impose sanctions, and Russia will never impose sanctions on India". He underlined that Russia has created a 'special mechanism' to ensure uninterrupted crude supplies to India, which currently sources around 40 per cent of its oil needs from Moscow at an average discount of 5 per cent. The Russian official said India and Russia are on track to achieve the target of $100 billion in bilateral trade by 2030, noting that Moscow is working to reduce the trade imbalance by boosting Indian exports of machinery, pharmaceuticals, tea and rice. Russia, he added, remained one of India's largest suppliers of energy and fertilisers. On Western sanctions, Babushkin said the European Union's latest package will have little impact on Russia and reiterated that India is unlikely to stop Russian oil purchases. 'We are committed to sit with India to address challenges and remove them,' he said, while also revealing that the two countries are in advanced talks on small and modular nuclear reactors. 'Russia is the partner of choice for India in India, have jointly developed BrahMos cruise missile, are working on other sophisticated equipment, including jet engines,' Babushkin said. Babushkin noted that President Vladimir Putin had spoken to Prime Minister Narendra Modi twice on the situation in Ukraine, adding, 'India matters very much to us.'
