In a historic debut in Europe, An Indian Navy P8i Poseidon aircraft landed in France at Air Base 125 Istres-Le Tube to participate in the joint naval exercise Varuna with France.
“A P8i aircraft of the Indian Navy has arrived in France to take part in a joint naval exercise with the French Navy,” stated a senior navy official.
The 2024 edition of the Indo-French bilateral naval exercise ‘Exercise Varuna’ is scheduled to take place in the Mediterranean Sea from September 2 to September 4.
This deployment comes 63 years after the Indian Navy’s Alizé aircraft, operating from the erstwhile INS Vikrant, last flew at Hyères Airbase.
“The drill will involve advanced tactical exercises highlighting the deepening synergy and interoperability between the two navies,” a spokesperson for the Indian Navy stated.
The P-8 Poseidon is a maritime patrol and reconnaissance aircraft responsible for coastal patrolling but is also used for other critical missions like maritime surveillance, anti-submarine and anti-surface warfare, search-and-rescue, anti-piracy, and supporting operations of other arms of the military.
The Indian Navy’s frontline frigate, INS Tabar, which had earlier arrived in Toulon, will also participate in the exercise.
The Varuna Naval Exercise is a bilateral maritime drill between the Indian and French navies involving guided missile frigates, tankers, maritime patrol aircraft, and integral helicopters from both sides. This diverse range of vessels and aircraft demonstrates the scale and complexity of the exercise, which was initiated in 1993 and later named ‘Varuna’ in 2001. Since then, it has become a hallmark of the robust India-France strategic bilateral relationship, providing an opportunity to learn from each other’s best practices and procedures.
According to the Ministry of Defence, the exercise also facilitates operational-level interaction between the two navies to foster mutual cooperation for good order at sea, underscoring the shared commitment to ensuring the security, safety, and freedom of global maritime commons.
Team BharatShakti
