..:: India Strategic ::. Navy: 14th Edition of Indo-French Naval exercise Varuna concludes

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Editorial

14th Edition of Indo-French Naval Exercise Varuna Concludes

By Shweta Sehgal

Published: May 2015

New Delhi. The fourteenth edition of naval exercise “Varuna”, one of the key elements of defence collaboration between India and France’s strategic partnership concluded May 2 in Goa. A 10- day annual exercise which brings together both Indian and French Navies mostly takes place along the Indian coasts.

The arrival of Aircraft Carrier Charles de Gaulle (R91), French Navy’s flagship which is the largest Western European warship and first French nuclear-powered surface vessel, along with two destroyers Chevalier Paul and Jean de Vienne and replenishment tanker Meuse on April 23 marked the beginning of this exercise. A maritime patrol aircraft Atlantique 2 participated in the exercise while the aircraft carrier Charles de Gaulle carried its complement of fighter aircraft Rafale M, Strike Aircraft Super Etendard, E2C Hawkeye AWACS and helicopters Dauphin and Alouette 3.

India had put forward its Centaurclass aircraft carrier INS Viraat (R22) - the oldest carrier in service in the world along with destroyer Mumbai, stealth frigate Tarkash, guided missile frigate Gomati, replenishment tanker Deepak, submarine Shankul and a few Fast Attack Craft. Indian Navy also had carrier-borne fighter aircraft Sea Harriers, maritime reconnaissance aircraft P-8 I and Dorniers, as well as integral helicopters Seaking 42B and Chetak participating in Varuna this year. It may be recalled that INS Mumbai and INS Tarkash played a significant role in Op Rahat evacuating 915 and 538 personnel, respectively from war-torn Yemen.

A total of 10 combat ships, after a preliminary phase of the exercise in Goa, went ahead in the open sea to train in a variety of areas of naval warfare to enhance interoperability. France’s Rafale Ms and Super Etendards and India’s Sea Harriers trained in surface warfare and air combat, while the escort frigates conducted replenishments at sea and firing drills. Numerous anti-submarine warfare exercises were also carried out, with P-8 Poseidon maritime patrol aircraft and Shishumar-class submarine from India in core manoeuvres.

The annually held Varuna exercise named after Rig Vedic lord of all forms of water element, particularly the oceans, is an essential component of Indo-French strategic relationship. The joint exercise takes place either in the Indian Ocean or Mediterranean Sea including the entire gamut of maritime operations from Aircraft Carrier Operations, Anti Submarines Warfare Exercises, Maritime Interdiction Operations to multi-ship replenishment exercise. The objective of the exercise lies in cultivating Indo- French coordination on capabilities such as minesweeping, cross-deck operations, anti-submarine warfare and replenishment-at-sea and deriving mutual benefit from the experiences of the two navies.

With the foundation of a strategic partnership in 1998, there has been noteworthy development in all areas of bilateral cooperation and exchanges including naval exercises. The Indian Navy and the French Navy have been conducting naval exercises since 1983 and following the establishment of a strategic partnership, these exercises were christened as “VARUNA” in 2001.

Marking the final day of the exercise, Laxmikant Parsekar, Chief Minister of Goa, French Ambassador François Richier along with Vice Admiral SPS Cheema, Flag Officer Commanding-in-Chief, Western Naval Command and Vice-Admiral Antoine Beaussant, French Joint Forces Commander in the Indian Ocean, embarked the French Navy’s Aircraft Carrier, Charles de Gaulle, followed by a debriefing by the commanders of the respective forces aboard INS Viraat.

The French Minister of Defence, Jean-Yves Le Drian, on his recent visit to India, reviewed Varuna exercise along with his Indian counterpart, Manohar Parrikar.