JOINT NAVAL EXERCISE (Syllabus: GS Paper 3 – Security)

Context: Recently, the European Union (EU) and India collaborated for their inaugural naval exercise in the Gulf of Guinea, marking the first time they joined forces in this region.

Joint Naval Exercise

• India and the European Union (EU) successfully conducted their inaugural joint naval exercise in the Gulf of Guinea on October 24, 2023.
• This exercise was the culmination of collaborative efforts that transpired following the third meeting of the EU-India Maritime Security Dialogue on October 5, 2023, in Brussels.
• During the joint naval exercise, the Indian Navy's INS Sumedha, an Offshore Patrol Vessel, teamed up with three vessels from EU Member States: the Italian Navy Ship ITS Foscari, the French Navy Ship FS Ventôse, and the Spanish Navy Ship Tornado.

Gulf of Guinea

• The Gulf of Guinea constitutes the most northeastern section of the tropical Atlantic Ocean.
• This gulf serves as the point where the Equator and Prime Meridian intersect, marked at zero degrees latitude and longitude.
• The Gulf of Guinea receives various river inflows, including the Niger and Volta rivers.