Souda Bay [Greece], August 24 (ANI): Upon its departure from Greece, INS Tamal participated in a passage exercise (passex) with HS Ritsos of the Hellenic Navy and also had a cross deck visit onboard ITS Trieste of the Italian Navy, as per the Indian Navy spokesperson.

In a post on X, the Indian Navy Spokesperson said that the passex with HS Ritsos was aimed at the validation of interoperability between the navies.

'On departure INS Tamal participated in a Passage Exercise with HS Ritsos, a Roussen class patrol boat of the #HellenicNavy, aimed at validation of interoperability between the Navies', it wrote on X.

https://x.com/indiannavy/status/1959255340110979481

In another post, the Indian Navy highlighted that the port call reflected the importance India attaches to its relations with Greece and the endeavour to strengthen the growing defence cooperation between the two nations.

https://x.com/indiannavy/status/1959255344477265993

Earlier in July, the navies of India and Greece held a joint passing exercise off the coast of Mumbai, which enhanced maritime interoperability between the two countries.

INS Tarkash had participated in the PASSEX along with the Hellenic Navy Ship HS Psara.

The exercise saw tactical manoeuvres, replenishment-at-sea approaches, surface firing and cross-deck landings, and culminated in a steam past.

During the exercise, the navies had the opportunity to exchange best practices and enhance maritime interoperability.

INS Tamal, the latest stealth frigate of the Indian Navy, on her passage to home base in India, called at Souda Bay, Greece, Aug 19-22, 2025.

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 Iliias, Head of the NATO Maritime Interdiction Operation Training Centre (NMIOTC), and Captain Stephen Steacy, Commanding Officer of the Naval Support Activity of the US Navy on 19 August 2025.

India's Ambassador to Greece, Rudrendra Tandon, visited the ship on 20 August 2025 and interacted with the crew. During the ship's port call, the crew visited the Souda Naval Base and Armament facility, the NMIOTC and the local maritime museum. The ship's crew also paid homage at the World War II cemetery in Crete.

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. (ANI)