INS Trishul Wraps Up Italy Port Call in Mediterranean

The Indian Navy's frigate INS Trishul finished its visit to the Italian port of Civitavecchia on 28 October 2026. The stop formed part of the warship's continuing operational deployment in the Mediterranean Sea. With the visit over, the ship has moved on to the next leg of that deployment.

What the visit was for

A port call of this kind is a working visit rather than a ceremonial one. Over the days alongside, the crew held professional exchanges with officers of the Italian Navy, took part in cross-deck visits between the two navies' ships, and joined cultural programmes. The purpose was to deepen the maritime relationship between the two services, which rests on regular contact of exactly this sort.

Professional engagements

The Commanding Officer of the frigate called on the Fleet Commander of the Italian Navy. Members of the crew went aboard the Italian aircraft carrier ITS Cavour, which was at Civitavecchia at the same time, and the two sides compared notes on how each navy works at sea.

Visitors on board

Vani Rao, India's Ambassador to Italy, visited the ship. So did Vice Admiral Aurelio De Carolis, who is Fleet Commander and CINCNAV of the Italian Navy. Both spent time with the ship's company. A cultural evening was then hosted on the deck. Among those who came were the Mayor of Civitavecchia, senior officers of the Italian Navy and of the Italian Coast Guard, defence envoys from 13 countries, civil dignitaries and a number of Indians living in Italy. The evening gave naval officers, diplomats and the wider community a common setting to meet, which rounded off the professional side of the visit.

Open to the public

The ship was thrown open to visitors during its stay. Many members of the Indian community in Italy came aboard, as did local residents, and the turnout was large.

Why it matters

The call underlined the standing maritime partnership between India and Italy, and showed again how steady naval contact builds mutual understanding and professional ties between two services that operate far apart.