Indian Navy’s INS Tamal Engages in Naval Drills with Greek Patrol Boat HS Ritsos

After concluding its port call at Souda Bay, Greece, INS Tamal, the Indian Navy’s latest stealth frigate, sailed out to conduct a Passage Exercise with HS Ritsos, a Roussen-class patrol boat of the Hellenic Navy, aimed at enhancing interoperability between the two navies.

In a statement issued here today, the Naval spokesperson stated that the ship, enroute to her home base in India, will be visiting ports in friendly foreign countries in Asia furthering maritime diplomacy and strengthening bilateral ties across the spectrum.

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During its halt, the ship’s crew engaged with the Hellenic Navy and NATO functionaries during the port call. This included the Commanding Officer’s call on Commodore Dionysios Mantadakis, Base Commander of Souda Bay Naval Base, Captain Kouplakis Iiias, Head of the NATO Maritime Interdiction Operational Training Centre (NMIOTC), and Captain Stephen Steacy, Commanding Officer of Naval Support Activity of US Navy on 19 Aug 2025. The discussions during the meetings focussed on operational matters and maritime cooperation. A cross deck visit for crew of INS Tamal was conducted onboard the multi-role amphibious assault unit ITS Trieste, a Landing Helicopter Dock of the Italian Navy, at Souda Bay, the spokesperson added.

The port call by INS Tamal reflects the importance India attaches to its relations with Greece and the endeavour to strengthen the growing defence cooperation between the two nations. It has also provided an opportunity for both navies to share best practices and pursue further opportunities for joint engagement.