INS Trikand makes port call at Taranto to strengthen India-Italy defence ties

TARANTO(Italy): Indian Navy’s stealth frigate INS Trikand called at Taranto, Italy, on September 28 during her ongoing operational deployment to the Mediterranean Sea, the Indian Navy stated on Thursday.

During the visit, the ship’s crew engaged in professional exchanges and cross-deck visits. These interactions focused on sharing best practices and enhancing mutual interoperability between the two navies.

Captain Sachin Kulkarni, Commanding Officer of INS Trikand, paid a courtesy call on Rear Admiral Andrea Petroni, Commander of the Italian Navy’s Second Naval Division.

The port call underscored the importance attached by India to its relations with Italy and reflected the shared commitment of both nations to strengthening their growing defence cooperation and maritime partnership, the Indian Navy added.

The visit to Italy followed INS Trikand’s earlier arrival at Alexandria, Egypt, during the same deployment, where it participated in Exercise Bright Star 2025, hosted by Egypt from September 1 to 10, the Ministry of Defence said in a press statement.

The Ministry further mentioned that these exercises aimed to exchange “best practices” that would help nations against traditional and non-traditional maritime threats.

“These interactions aimed to strengthen commonalities in procedures and to exchange Best Practices that would aid combined operations against traditional and non-traditional maritime threats,” the release said.

As per the release, Bright Star 2025 was a multilateral US Central Command exercise covering air, land, and sea domains. It aimed to strengthen regional security and cooperation, while enhancing interoperability in irregular warfare against hybrid threat scenarios. Apart from India, Egypt, and the USA, forces from Saudi Arabia, Qatar, Greece, Cyprus, and Italy were also expected to join.

The Indian Navy spokesperson, in an X post, called the exercise a bridge of friendship between India and Egypt.

In an X post, the Navy spokesperson wrote, “#IndianNavy’s stealth frigate #INSTrikand arrived at Alexandria, Egypt, on #01Sep 25 during her ongoing deployment to the Mediterranean Sea. The ship will participate in the @CENTCOM led multinational Exercise #BrightStar2025 co-hosted by Egypt, which will also see participation by contingents from the #IndianArmy and #IndianAirForce. India-Egypt #BridgesofFriendship.”

The spokesperson further mentioned that during the exercise, senior military officials also held bilateral discussions to promote people-to-people ties between the two nations.

“Engagements during the port call also included bilateral & multilateral discussions with senior military officials, cross-deck visits, cultural exchanges and sports fixtures to promote people-to-people connect,” wrote the Navy spokesperson in an X post.

The Ministry of Defence further stated that with upcoming port calls in the region, the key objectives of the deployment included professional naval engagements in the Mediterranean Sea to foster interoperability with partner maritime nations. (ANI)