Greece
Souda Bay: the Indian frigate INS Trishul calls at Crete for contacts with the Hellenic Navy
The Indian Navy frigate INS Trishul (F43) berthed in Souda Bay, Crete, on October 31 during a Mediterranean deployment, India’s defence ministry said. The crew will meet Hellenic Navy officers and visit the Souda base.
The Indian frigate INS Trishul (F43) berthed in Souda Bay, Crete, as part of its deployment in the Mediterranean. The ship arrived at the Greek port on Saturday, October 31, as the Indian Ministry of Defence announced on Sunday, November 1 through the government press office, PIB.
Contacts with the Hellenic Navy and visits to the Souda facilities
According to the Indian defence ministry’s announcement, the crew will take part during its stay in a series of activities aimed at strengthening naval cooperation between India and Greece. The programme includes meetings with senior Hellenic Navy officers and with the Indian embassy in Athens, professional discussions, reciprocal ship visits and cultural events.
The Indian sailors will also see at first hand the facilities of the Naval Support Activity at Souda Bay and the NATO Maritime Interdiction Operational Training Centre (NMIOTC). The crew will pay tribute at the Souda Bay Allied War Cemetery. While the visit lasts, the frigate will be open to the public. India’s defence ministry expects the visit to further consolidate naval cooperation and strengthen the professional ties of the two navies.
One more step in the strategic relationship between Athens and New Delhi
Trishul’s arrival in Crete comes two and a half weeks after the October 14 visit to Athens by Rajesh Kumar Singh, head of the services of India’s defence ministry, when the two countries agreed to broaden their defence cooperation, with emphasis on General Staff talks, joint exercises and cooperation between defence industries. Four days earlier, on October 10, National Defence Minister Nikos Dendias had an introductory meeting with Indian Ambassador Ravi Shankar on strategic defence cooperation.
Souda is no stranger to the Indian Navy. In July 2023 the destroyer INS Chennai visited the bay and trained with the frigate Nikiforos Fokas, while in July 2025 the Greek frigate Psara trained off Mumbai with the Indian frigate Tarkash. Warship visits and joint training are visible signs of the two countries’ rapprochement, which in February also gained a Joint Declaration of Intent on defence industrial cooperation, signed by Nikos Dendias in New Delhi.
