Russian Rear Admiral Evgeny Myasoyedov, the senior officer of the Russian Navy's Pacific Fleet ships group, met Rear Admiral Prakash Gopalan, Chief of Staff of the Indian Navy's Southern Naval Command, in Kochi on Saturday as part of an ongoing goodwill visit by Russian naval vessels to India.

The Russian Embassy described the visit as an important element of the continuing naval engagement between the two countries. In a post on X, the Embassy stated: “The goodwill visit of the Russian Pacific Fleet ships to Kochi is ongoing. As part of the program, 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.”

The meeting coincides with the presence of three Russian Pacific Fleet vessels at Kochi port. The ships, which arrived on 21 October, include the frigate Marshal Shaposhnikov, the large anti-submarine ship Admiral Tributs, and the fleet tanker Pechenga. The Russian Embassy had earlier announced their arrival in Kerala as part of a goodwill mission aimed at strengthening maritime ties with India.

The latest interaction follows the successful conduct of Exercise INDRA 2026, the bilateral naval exercise held between the Indian and Russian navies from 13 to 18 October. The exercise was designed to enhance operational coordination, interoperability and mutual understanding between the two maritime forces.

The harbour phase of the exercise commenced in Vladivostok, where personnel from the Indian Navy's INS Sahyadri and the Russian Navy participated in a series of professional exchanges. Activities included cross-deck visits, planning conferences between the crews of INS Sahyadri and the Russian naval vessel Aldar Tsydenzhapov, as well as meetings with senior Russian naval officials.

According to the Indian Navy, these engagements demonstrated the shared commitment of both nations to deepen maritime cooperation and improve operational coordination across a range of naval activities.

India's involvement in such bilateral naval engagements is aligned with the Government of India's MAHASAGAR vision, which stands for Mutual and Holistic Advancement for Security and Growth Across Regions.

The initiative underscores New Delhi's broader objective of strengthening maritime security partnerships and promoting cooperative engagement across the Indo-Pacific, while reflecting the enduring defence relationship between India and Russia.

ANI