Vice Admiral Aurelio De Carolis, Commander-in-Chief of the Italian Fleet, has commended the Indian Navy for its exceptional work in tackling piracy in the Indian Ocean. His remarks came during a press conference held on board the Italian aircraft carrier Cavour, which is currently leading the Italian Carrier Strike Group.
Vice Admiral De Carolis expressed concern over the resurgence of piracy in the region, linking it to the decreased commercial traffic through the Red Sea. "With the reduction of flow of commerce through the Red Sea," he explained, "most of the ships have been diverted to the Cape of Good Hope and this in some way might have fuelled again a comeback of piracy in the area."
He went on to praise the Indian Navy's response to this challenge, stating, "I must say, they are doing an excellent job. At the end of the day, it is called the Indian Ocean, not by chance."
This praise underscores the growing naval cooperation between India and Italy. The two nations have been steadily strengthening their defense ties through joint exercises, exchanges, and collaborative initiatives.
In 2023, Italy joined the Indo-Pacific Ocean Initiative's (IPOI) Science and Technology Pillar, further solidifying their partnership. This collaboration has been marked by several significant events, including:
- August 2023: The Italian Navy Ship (ITS) Morosini made a port call in Mumbai.
- April 2023: INS Sumedha, an Indian Navy ship, conducted a Maritime PASSEX Exercise with ITS Morosini off the coast of Sardinia.
- February 2024: The Italian Navy participated in the MILAN 2024 Naval Exercises held off the coast of Vishakapatnam.
