French carrier strike group conducts air-sea manoeuvres with Indian Navy

After stopovers in Goa and Kochi on India's western coast, the entire French carrier strike group (CSG) centred around aircraft carrier FNS Charles de Gaulle cast off on 9 January 2025 for the next phase of Mission Clemenceau 25 in the Indian Ocean. It set course for the Indonesian arc, where it would conduct exercise La Perouse, a statement by French Embassy in India stated.

A few hours after setting sail, the CSG carried out cooperation activities with the Indian Navy at sea and in the air. The French CSG destroyer conducted a joint navigation exercise with the Indian frigate INS Mormugao, during which the two ships practised tactical evolution manoeuvres. The two ships also deployed their respective onboard helicopters to carry out a cross-decks manoeuvre, as per the statement.

After the first drill, the fleet replenishment tanker FNS Jacques Chevallier refuelled the INS Mormugao frigate at sea. At the same time, Indian Sukhoi and Jaguar fighter jets carried out sorties with Rafale Marines from the embarked French Navy air fleet for a joint anti-aircraft drill.

On January 10, an Atlantique 2 maritime patrol aircraft made a logistical stopover in India before heading for Indonesia, where it joined the deployed French force. Thanks to the privileged relations between France and India, the halt of the in-transit Atlantique 2 on Indian territory enabled the CSG to deploy far away from its base and maintain its operations at sea.

As per the statement, these activities once again demonstrated the high level of interoperability between the two navies. This joint manoeuvre came ahead of the 42nd edition of the bilateral naval exercise, VARUNA, which France and India have been holding since 1983. The CSG will take part in this annual bilateral exercise when it returns to the Indian Ocean under Mission CLEMENCEAU 25, and will deploy all its assets alongside its Indian partner.

For 27 years, France and India have been united by a strategic partnership aimed at developing bilateral cooperation between our two countries. In concrete terms, this includes numerous exercises, be they on land (SHAKTI), in the air (GARUDA), or at sea (VARUNA). India regularly supports French Navy ships by allowing numerous stopovers for ships and crew rest (16 stopovers since 2022), French Embassy reported.