The Arabian Sea hosted Phase II of the 21st iteration of Varuna (Varuna-23), a bilateral exercise between the Indian and French navies. Both sides sent guided missile frigates, tankers, Maritime Patrol Aircraft, and integrated helicopters to the exercise.
The three-day drill included joint operations, underway replenishment, and other tactical manoeuvres. Units from both navies worked hard to strengthen their warfighting abilities, interoperability, and ability to support peace, security, and stability in the region. The first phase of ‘Varuna-2023’ was held off India’s western coast from January 16 to January 20, 23.
About Exercise Varuna
The first bilateral naval exercise between the Indian and French navies took place in 1993. The exercise was renamed ‘Varuna’ in 2001 and has since become a symbol of the strong India-France strategic bilateral cooperation. This activity, which has expanded in scope and complexity over the years, provides an opportunity to learn from each other’s best practices and procedures. The exercise also promotes operational-level engagement between the two Navies in order to foster mutual collaboration for good order at sea, highlighting the shared commitment to safeguarding the global maritime commons’ security, safety, and freedom.
The indigenous guided missile stealth destroyer INS Chennai, guided missile frigate INS Teg, maritime patrol aircraft P-8I and Dornier, integrated helicopters, and MiG29K fighter aircraft will all take part in this edition. The French Navy will be represented by the aircraft carrier Charles De Gaulle, the frigates Forbin and Provence, the support vessel FS Marne, and the maritime patrol aircraft Atlantique.
VARUNA-2023: Significance
The exercise will include advanced air defence drills, tactical manoeuvres, surface firings, underway replenishment, and other marine activities. Units from both navies will work to sharpen their marine warfighting skills, improve their interoperability to conduct multi-discipline operations in the maritime environment and display their potential as an integrated force to support peace and security.
Having grown in scope and complexity over the years, this exercise provides an opportunity to learn from each other’s best practices. The exercise facilitates operational-level interaction between the two navies to foster mutual cooperation for good order at sea, underscoring the shared commitment of both nations to security, safety and freedom of the global maritime commons.
To crack the SSB Interview, You can join our SSB interview live classes batch and we recommend you to Enroll SSB INTERVIEW ONLINE COURSE. Trusted by thousands of defence aspirants.
