Sunday 16 / August / 2026
NEW DELHI: India and Nigeria are strengthening maritime security cooperation as the two countries deepen their broader defence partnership, with a Nigerian Navy delegation set to visit India for the third Naval Sub Group Meeting.
The delegation, led by Rear Admiral AV Kujoh, recently met Indian High Commissioner to Nigeria Abhishek Singh to review existing naval cooperation and explore further areas of bilateral defence engagement.
The upcoming meeting builds on several years of expanding naval interaction between the two countries. In September 2022, the Indian Navy’s INS Tarkash conducted a joint maritime exercise with Nigerian Navy patrol ships in the Gulf of Guinea during its anti-piracy deployment. The exercise focused on anti-piracy operations, assistance to vessels in distress, search and rescue, and maritime interdiction.
In October 2023, INS Sumedha made a port call at Lagos during its deployment to the Gulf of Guinea. The visit featured professional exchanges, planning conferences and a maritime partnership exercise with the Nigerian Navy, forming part of India’s second anti-piracy deployment to the region.
Maritime security became a more prominent element of the bilateral defence relationship during Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s visit to Nigeria in November 2024. The two countries agreed to expand cooperation in maritime security, intelligence sharing and counter-terrorism, while also supporting coordinated efforts to protect maritime trade routes and combat piracy in the Gulf of Guinea and the Indian Ocean.
The Gulf of Guinea remains a key maritime security zone for Nigeria, where piracy and other maritime crimes continue to pose risks to shipping and commercial activity. The region is also strategically important to India because of its energy and trade links with West Africa.
The growing naval relationship is focused on practical cooperation, including professional exchanges, operational experience, anti-piracy activities and improving interoperability between the two navies. Defence cooperation also extends to military training, capacity building, counter-terrorism, organised crime and intelligence sharing.
Nigeria's role as a major West African economy and energy producer gives the relationship additional strategic importance for India’s wider engagement with Africa. For Nigeria, closer defence ties with India provide opportunities for additional military training, expertise and capacity building.
The bilateral relationship also gained a multilateral dimension after Nigeria became a BRICS partner country on January 1, 2025. India is scheduled to host the 18th BRICS Summit in New Delhi on September 12-13, 2026, providing another platform for engagement between the two countries.
The third Naval Sub Group Meeting is expected to provide an opportunity for India and Nigeria to review existing cooperation and identify areas for its further expansion.
The engagement reflects the growing maritime dimension of India-Nigeria defence relations, from joint anti-piracy deployments in the Gulf of Guinea to institutionalised naval dialogue and broader commitments on maritime security.
