INS Trikand’s Mediterranean Mission: Debunking the Turkish “Ultimatum” Story

Executive Summary

The Indian Navy frigate INS Trikand recently concluded a high-profile deployment in the Eastern Mediterranean, where it took part in a series of naval engagements with Greece and Cyprus. The voyage, part of India’s expanding maritime outreach, has drawn unexpected controversy after social-media reports claimed that Turkey had issued an 18-hour ultimatum - demanding the Indian warship leave contested waters.

INS Trikand is the third and final ship of the second batch of Talwar-class frigates ordered by the Indian Navy. The ship was built by the Yantar shipyard in Kaliningrad, Russia. It was commissioned into the Indian Navy on 29 June 2013. It accommodates a crew of approximately 300 personnel, including officers and sailors.

After conducting a closer review of official records, partner-navy releases, and various media reporting, it was difficult to establish the “ultimatum” narrative. It appears to be unverified and may have originated from unsubstantiated online sources. However, INS Trikand’s Mediterranean operations are well-documented.

The episode serves as a case study in how unverified online narratives can overshadow verified defence diplomacy. For India, the deployment underscores an expanding naval horizon — projecting influence from the Indian Ocean Region into the Mediterranean Sea. For observers, it is a reminder that credible sourcing and official confirmation remain essential when analysing fast-moving stories in the digital age.

Verified Timeline of INS Trikand’s Deployment

According to official statements and regional documentation:

13 September 2025 — Salamis Bay, Greece: The Indian Ministry of Defence confirmed that INS Trikand made a port call at Salamis as part of the first-ever India–Greece bilateral naval exercise.

17–18 September 2025: The exercise entered its sea phase, featuring coordinated manoeuvres, communications drills, and cross-deck operations between the two navies.

19 September 2025 — Eastern Mediterranean: The Hellenic Navy published a communiqué noting a Passing Exercise (PASSEX) between HS Adrias and INS Trikand. This remains the most authoritative confirmation of joint activity on that date.

22–24 September 2025 — Limassol, Cyprus: Regional media reported that the Indian warship docked at Limassol on 22 September, followed by a PASSEX-style drill with Cypriot naval units over the next two days.

These dates confirm that INS Trikand operated in the Eastern Mediterranean from mid- to late September 2025 under planned bilateral cooperation programmes with Greece and Cyprus.

INS Trikand from Indian Navy and HS Adrias from Hellenic Navy. Photo: Hellenic Navy

The “18-Hour Ultimatum” Claim: What the Record Shows

In late September, posts on X (formerly Twitter), Facebook groups, and smaller defence blogs claimed that Turkey had issued an 18-hour ultimatum ordering the Indian vessel to leave waters near disputed zones.

However, no official Turkish government, Turkish Naval Forces, or Indian Ministry of Defence / Navy statements corroborate this claim. Major international wire services — Reuters, AFP, AP, BBC — have likewise published no independent reports verifying such an incident.

Independent fact-checking pages that examined the viral posts have since labelled the story “unverified” or “false.” The absence of any accompanying satellite imagery, radio intercepts, or official diplomatic correspondence further suggests the claim lacks factual grounding.

*However, if the matter was squashed by either nation, the probability to establish substantial evidence in regards to the incident will be difficult and hard to verify.

Verified Information

INS Trikand in Greek waters and Port call at Salamis (13 Sep) & exercises (17–18 Sep) has been confirmed by Indian MoD and Hellenic Navy.
PASSEX with HS Adrias was recorded on 19 Sep 2025 in Hellenic Navy communiqué.
Port call & drills in Cyprus on 22–24 Sep 2025 reported by regional media is also Confirmed.
“18-hour Turkish ultimatum” remains unconfirmed. No official confirmation and information circulated only on social media.
There are no official Turkish/Indian comments referencing the ultimatum.

Strategic Context: Cooperation Amid Tension

Even without the alleged ultimatum, the deployment carried strong geopolitical significance. Relations between India and Turkey have cooled in recent years, largely due to Ankara’s public support for Pakistan on the Kashmir issue and its alignment with Islamabad in multilateral forums.

In contrast, India has deepened ties with Turkey’s regional rivals — notably Greece, Cyprus, and France — through bilateral defence dialogues and joint maritime exercises. The INS Trikand mission showcased India’s growing ability to operate far from its home waters and underscored New Delhi’s commitment to freedom of navigation and rule-based maritime order.

For Turkey, the presence of an Indian warship in the company of Greek and French partners touched on sensitive regional issues, including exclusive economic zone (EEZ) disputes and energy exploration rights in the Aegean and Eastern Mediterranean. While Ankara did not officially protest, the optics highlighted an emerging realignment of partnerships in the wider Mediterranean theatre.

Strategic and Geopolitical Context

India–Turkey Relations

Relations have been strained since President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan’s repeated support for Pakistan, especially on the Kashmir issue.

Ankara’s positions at the United Nations and the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) have reinforced Indian perceptions of Turkey’s bias on South Asian affairs.

India’s Emerging Partnerships

India has strengthened strategic and defence cooperation with Greece, Cyprus, and France — all states with contentious relations or competing interests vis-à-vis Turkey.

The Mediterranean deployment serves India’s goal of being a “net security provider” and expanding influence into Euro-Atlantic and Indo-Mediterranean corridors.

The mission also advanced India’s participation in freedom of navigation operations and maritime interoperability with NATO-aligned partners.

Turkey’s Regional Sensitivities

Turkey contests maritime boundaries with Greece and Cyprus, especially regarding Exclusive Economic Zones (EEZs) and energy exploration rights.

An Indian naval presence aligned with Athens and Nicosia — even symbolically — underscores India’s tilt toward Ankara’s regional rivals.

Implications for Policy

India

Maritime Diplomacy: INS Trikand’s deployment successfully projected Indian naval capability into the Mediterranean — a strategic frontier linking Europe, West Asia, and the Indo-Pacific.

Information Operations: The spread of the ultimatum narrative highlights the need for rapid, transparent communication from Indian defence authorities to pre-empt misinformation.

Alliance Building: Continued engagements with Greece, Cyprus, and France reinforce India’s reputation as a reliable security partner in the broader Indo-Mediterranean region.

For Regional Actors

Greece and Cyprus view India’s participation as a diplomatic balancing factor against Turkish assertiveness.

Turkey may interpret repeated Indian deployments as symbolic alignment against its regional interests, potentially complicating future diplomatic exchanges.

France, already active in the Mediterranean and a major Indian defence partner, benefits strategically from India’s deeper involvement.

Recommendations

Institutional Communication: The Indian Navy and Ministry of Defence should issue timely briefings during overseas deployments to mitigate disinformation risks.
Strategic Signalling: Future Mediterranean engagements should be framed within India’s Indo-Pacific outreach narrative to avoid misinterpretation as regional confrontation.
Media Cooperation: Encourage collaboration with credible global defence correspondents for transparent coverage of Indian naval missions.
Monitoring & Response: Establish a digital monitoring cell within the Defence Information Wing to track and counter emerging misinformation in real-time.

References:

Indian Ministry of Defence, Press Information Bureau releases (September 2025)

Hellenic Navy communiqué (22 September 2025)

Regional outlets in Greece and Cyprus (Greek City Times, Kathimerini, Cyprus Mail)

Fact-checking portals and defence-tracking platforms (October 2025 reviews)

Social media content analysis, X and Facebook posts (September–October 2025)

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