Karwar: Indian and France Navy will begin the largest joint exercise of the warships in the sea in Goa from May 1 onwards.
Aircraft carriers, INS Vikramaditya with Mig- 29 k fighters. FNS Charles Dgale with Raffaele – M Naval jets and many such warships will be participating in the exercise.
This major warship exercise is named ‘Varuna’.
This is organised to exhibit the existing war technologies of both countries. The inclusion of Raffaele jets in the exercise will be an added attraction. This exercise was planned in March 2018, say reports.
France will be exhibiting its nuclear-powered aircraft and France has already despatched tankers such as FNS Farbin, FNS Province, FNS Latos Traville, nuclear weapon enabled FNS Amethyst and FNS Morne as part of the Varuna operations.
The 42500-tonne aircraft carrier FNS Charles Dighley, Airco EC Hawke, AS365 Daffyin and other helicopters have also reached the Mumbai coast with Rafael – M – Fighter aircraft.
India also has 44400 tonnes of INS Vikramaditya along with Integral MiG – 29K fighters and helicopters are diesel, electric submarine INS Sahnkula, guided missile interceptor and destroyer INS Chennai, INS Tarkshaya, tanker, INS Deepak, Sagar Patrol Aircraft and Dornier-228 aircraft will be used.
The Indian navy has already begun patrols in the Indian Ocean region and has more than twelve combat ships operating in it, said reports.