Indo-French naval exercise Varuna commences

The Indian Navy on 24 April 2017 began a joint maritime exercise Varuna with the French Navy at the Mediterranean Sea. The exercise will conclude on 30 April 2017.

The joint maritime exercise aims at deepening combat coordination between the two navies.

Guided missile destroyer INS Mumbai, stealth frigate INS Trishul and fleet tanker INS Aditya are taking part in the Varuna exercise.

The ships are part of the Indian Navy's overseas deployment to the Mediterranean Sea and West Coast of Africa and they arrived at Toulon port on southern France's Mediterranean coast.

The Varuna series of exercises began in 2000 and have evolved into an institutionalised form of interaction between the two navies.

Background

With the establishment of strategic partnership in 1998, there has been significant progress in all areas of bilateral cooperation and exchanges including naval exercises between India and France.

The Indian Navy and the French Navy have been conducting naval exercises since 1983. Following the establishment of a strategic partnership, these exercises were christened as Varuna in 2001.