INDIA AND FRANCE TO CONDUCT LARGEST NAVAL EXERCISE “VARUNA”

Prelims level : IR Mains level : Exercise VARUNA
No Set Found with this ID

Why in News?

  • India and France are all set to hold their largest-ever naval exercise ‘Varuna’ with aircraft carriers, destroyers, submarines and fighters early May as part of their expanding strategic partnership.

Highlights:

  • The exercise that has been christened ‘Varuna’ will take place off Goa and Karwar from 1st May 2019.
  • Conducting the Varuna exercise was reiterated in the Joint Statement made by the Prime Minister of India and the President of France, on the 10th of March 2018
  • The two countries will be deploying their aircraft carriers INS Vikramaditya and FNS Charles de gaulle with their Mig-29K and Rafale-M naval fighter jets
  • The Indian participation will also include the destroyer INS Mumbai, frigate INS Trikand with their integral helicopters, IN submarine Kalvari, P8-I aircrafts and Dornier Maritime Patrol aircraft.
  • This comes after the successful operationalisation of the logistics support agreement between India and France under which Indian warships can access the French bases like Reunion Islands and in Djibouti
  • Under the same pact, French anti-aircraft destroyer FNS Cassard had docked at the Mumbai naval port in January 2019
  • This was second such logistics support agreement signed by India after the one signed by it with United States (US) in 2016
Share Socially