Three ships of the Russian Navy's Pacific Fleet are visiting Kochi port as part of a goodwill deployment, and the senior officer of the visiting group, Rear Admiral Evgeny Myasoyedov, met Rear Admiral Prakash Gopalan, Chief of Staff, Southern Naval Command, the Russian Embassy in India said on X on 24 October.
“The goodwill visit of the Russian Pacific Fleet ships to #Kochi is ongoing. As part of the programme, Rear Admiral Evgeny Myasoyedov, Senior Officer of the Russian Ships group called on Rear Admiral Prakash Gopalan, Chief of Staff, Southern Naval Command, Indian Navy.” — Russian Embassy in India (post on X)
Ships and programme
The Russian Embassy's post identified the vessels visiting Kochi as the frigate Marshal Shaposhnikov, the large anti-submarine ship Admiral Tributs and the tanker Pechenga. The embassy said the ships arrived on 21 October as part of the goodwill visit.
| Ship | Type |
|---|---|
| Marshal Shaposhnikov | Frigate |
| Admiral Tributs | Large anti-submarine ship |
| Pechenga | Tanker |
Context and recent engagements
The Kochi visit follows the bilateral naval exercise INDRA 2026, which the Russian Embassy said was conducted from 13 to 18 October. The embassy's post and Indian Navy statements cited the exercise as aimed at strengthening operational coordination, interoperability and mutual understanding between the two navies. The harbour phase of INDRA began in Vladivostok and included personnel exchanges and professional engagements, the embassy said.
- The Russian Embassy reported the port call and the meeting between the two rear admirals on 24 October.
- INDRA 2026 included participation by INS Sahyadri from the Indian Navy and Russian units, with cross-deck visits and planning conferences also noted by the embassy.
- The visit is presented by the embassy as part of ongoing maritime cooperation under India’s MAHASAGAR vision, as stated in the embassy post.
The Russian statement and the Indian Navy's communications about INDRA frame the interactions as measures to enhance practical cooperation at sea. The port visit will provide opportunities for professional exchanges and hospitality events normally associated with goodwill calls, the embassy indicated.
The Russian Embassy post and the Indian Navy's references to INDRA 2026 are the sources for all operational and programme details reported here.
