India-France joint exercise

18 Jun 2025 GS 2 International Relations
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  • Indian Army contingent (90 personnel) from a Jammu and Kashmir Rifles battalion departs for France.

  • Participates in 8th India-France joint exercise ‘Shakti’.

  • Held at Camp Larzac, La Cavalerie, France (June 18 – July 1).

  • French contingent (90 personnel) from 13th Foreign Legion Half-Brigade (13th DBLE).

  • Biennial exercise focuses on:

    • Enhancing interoperability.

    • Improving operational coordination.

    • Strengthening military-to-military ties.

  • Training conducted in semi-urban terrain.

Some key India-France joint military exercises across different domains:

1. Army Exercises

  • Exercise Shakti (Biennial)

    • Type: Joint Army exercise

    • Focus: Counter-terrorism, mountain warfare, and interoperability.

    • First Edition: 2011 (India), held alternately in both countries.

2. Naval Exercises

  • Exercise Varuna (Annual)

    • Type: Naval war games

    • Focus: Anti-submarine warfare, carrier operations, and maritime security.

    • First Edition: 1993 (renamed Varuna in 2001).

    • Recent Editions: Includes aircraft carriers, submarines, and fighter jets.

3. Air Force Exercises

  • Exercise Garuda (Biennial)

    • Type: Air Force drills

    • Focus: Air combat, aerial refueling, and multi-role operations.

    • First Edition: 2003 (Jodhpur, India).

    • Recent Editions: Rafale vs. Su-30MKI dogfights, joint strike missions.

4. Special Forces Exercises

  • Exercise Desert Knight (Air Force + Special Ops)

      1. Bilateral to Trilateral (India-France-UAE)

        • Initially, Desert Knight was a bilateral exercise between India and France 

          • UAE Air Force joined, making it a three-nation exercise.

          • First Trilateral Edition Conducted in Al-Dhafra Air Base, UAE (January 2023).

        • Strengthening the Framework

          • Builds on the India-France-UAE Trilateral Initiative (Feb 2022) launched by foreign ministers.

          • Aims to enhance interoperability in complex air operations.

5. High-Level Strategic Dialogues

  • Indo-French Defence Dialogue

    • Annual talks to deepen defence tech, space, and cyber cooperation.

Significance

  • France is India’s closest European defence partner, supplying Rafale jets, Scorpène submarines, and collaborating on future tech (jet engine deal).

  • These exercises strengthen Indo-Pacific security and counter-terrorism efforts.



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