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Indian and French armed forces are sharpening their tactical coordination and modern warfare capabilities through the eighth edition of Exercise Shakti, a bilateral military drill currently underway in southern France.
Hosted at Camp Larzac in La Cavalerie, the exercise has brought together around 90 Indian Army personnel—primarily from the Jammu and Kashmir Rifles regiment—and their counterparts from France’s 13ᵉ Demi-Brigade of the Foreign Legion. The joint training effort aims to deepen mutual understanding and build cohesive strategies for joint military operations.
Designed to reflect real-world conflict scenarios, the drills focus on sub-conventional operations, including urban warfare, obstacle navigation, coordinated patrols, and advanced troop deployment techniques.
These field exercises are conducted in challenging environments to mirror combat-like conditions and enhance battlefield preparedness.
A standout aspect of Shakti-VIII has been the inclusion of modern threat-response modules. Both armies have collaborated on electronic warfare and anti-drone operations—an area of increasing relevance in contemporary defence.
Training included spectrum management, signal disruption, and counter-UAS (unmanned aerial system) drills, equipping soldiers with tools to operate in electronically contested zones.
The highlight of the war-game was a continuous 96-hour field mission, simulating high-stress, multi-domain operations during Exercise Shakti. The scenario tested participants’ endurance, tactical agility, and inter-unit communication under pressure—yielding critical lessons in operational integration and command-level coordination.
India’s Ambassador to France and Monaco, Sanjeev Singla, visited the troops during Exercise Shakti. In his interaction, he commended the Indian soldiers for their commitment and emphasised the role such exercises play in reinforcing the strategic partnership between the two nations.
Exercise Shakti, held biennially, has grown into a key pillar of Indo-French defence engagement. With each edition, it not only improves tactical and technological synergy between the participating forces but also underscores a shared commitment to security cooperation in an evolving global landscape.
