EU expands naval ops in Red Sea and Indian Ocean

March 30, 2026, by Fatima Bahtić

The European Council has adopted two decisions amending the mandates of the EU’s naval operations EUNAVFOR ASPIDES and EUNAVFOR ATALANTA.

These updates come as the EU continues to actively contribute to safeguarding freedom of navigation in the Red Sea and the wider region

The decisions further reinforce the EU’s maritime engagement and underline the need for sustained contributions of assets, including vessels.

The Council amended the mandate of EUNAVFOR ASPIDES, the EU operation established in February 2024 as a defensive operation in response to repeated Houthi attacks on international shipping.

Its mandate has been extended until 28 February 2027 via a Council decision in February 2026.

In addition to its existing tasks, the operation will now, within its means and capabilities:

collect and share information on suspicious activities related to critical submarine infrastructure (CSI);
contribute to capacity building by training Djiboutian maritime forces;
cooperate with the Yemeni Coast Guard;
strengthen links with other EU initiatives, including CRIMARIO, the EU’s critical maritime routes project.

On the other hand, EUNAVFOR ATALANTA was launched in 2008 as the EU’s first naval operation.

Initially tasked with counter-piracy, its mandate expanded in 2022 to include the countering of illicit arms and drug trafficking at sea. The mission has also been extended until February 28, 2027.

Following the 2025 strategic assessment, the Council also adopted amendments to the mandate of EUNAVFOR ATALANTA. The updated mandate:

suspends the monitoring of illicit charcoal trade, while maintaining secondary tasks on monitoring arms and narcotics trafficking and illegal fishing;
strengthens links with other EU initiatives, including CRIMARIO;
adds a new task to collect and share information on suspicious activities related to CSI, within available means and capabilities.

Both operations form part of the EU’s integrated approach to maritime security, contributing to the regional stability of the areas covered by their mandates, it was concluded.