Varuna-2021 Exercise

In News

India and France started its 19th edition of Navy bilateral exercise ‘Varuna- 2021’ on 25th April, 2021 in Arabian Sea.

About

The Indo- French naval exercise started in 1983 and plays an important role in both countries joint vision for a free, open and inclusive Indo-Pacific.

The three day exercise will display the increased level of coordination, alliance and interoperability between the friendly navies of India and France.

Objective

The units of the two navies in the Varuna bilateral naval exercise will attempt to boost their warfighting skills in order to exhibit their ability as an integrated force to promote security, peace and stability in the maritime territory.

Main Features

• The Indian navy will be guided by the Flag Officer Commanding Western Fleet Rear Admiral Ajay Kochhar. While, the French navy will be led by the Commander Task Force 473, Rear Admiral Marc Aussedat.
• India’s guided-missile frigates INS Talwar and INS Tarkarsh, guided-missile stealth destroyer INS Kolkata, Fleet Support Ship INS Deepak, with Chetak Integral Helicopters, P81 Long Range Maritime Patrol Aircraft and a Kalvari Class Submarine will be participating in the exercise.
• France’s, E2C Hawkeye aircraft and helicopters Dauphin and Caiman M embarked, aircraft carrier Charles-de-Gaulle with Rafale M Fighter, Aquitaine-class multi missions frigate FNS Provence with Caiman M Helicopter embarked, Horizon-class air defence destroyer Chevalier Paul, and command and supply ship war are part of this exercise.
• After the finishing of the Varuna exercise, the guided-missile frigate INS Tarkash of the Indian Navy will carry on with the exercise with the Carrier Strike Group of the French Navy from April 28 to May 1, 2021, for best practices and augment interoperability.
• In the course of time, the ship will also be participating in the advanced anti-submarine, surface, and air-defence operations with the French Navy.
• The ‘Varuna’ joint exercise is part of the French carrier strike group’s ‘CLEMENCEAU 21’ deployment that is being conducted by French Navy from February to June 2021 in the eastern Mediterranean, the Gulf and the Indian Ocean (Arabian Sea). Its goal is to serve to the stabilization of these strategic zones and bolstering cooperation with the navies of partner countries, in particular India for the Indian Ocean component. As part of this deployment, the carrier strike group is also participating in anti-ISIS operations.