India and France air exercise ‘Garuda 25’: The Indian Air Force has started taking part in the 8th edition of the air exercise called Garuda 25 with the French Air and Space Force. This training is happening at Mont-de-Marsan in France from November 16 to November 27. The Ministry of Defence said this in an official note on Saturday. The IAF team reached France on November 10 after a long travel plan.
The Indian team brought Su-30MKI fighter jets to fly in the exercise. A C-17 Globemaster III aircraft is helping the team by carrying heavy equipment and people for the start and end of the drill. The IL-78 tankers are also in use to refuel the fighter jets in the air, which helps the fighters stay in the sky longer and fly farther without landing.
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Indian and French Jets Training
The Ministry said the IAF Su-30MKI jets will fly next to French multirole aircraft in many tough training missions. These missions will feel close to real battle. The exercise will focus on air-to-air fights, air defence work, and joint attack missions. The main goal is to polish the way both Air Forces plan their missions and handle fast-changing air battles.
The Ministry also said this exercise will give pilots and officers a chance to talk, share their skills, and learn each other’s best methods. It said this event shows the IAF’s clear effort to “engage constructively with friendly foreign Air Forces through multi-lateral exercises, promoting mutual understanding and cooperation in the field of air operations.”
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India-France Strategic Partnership
India and France have been close friends for many years, and both countries enjoy deep and steady ties. Their connection includes security, defence, nuclear cooperation, and work in space. The two nations share what the Ministry describes as a strong Strategic Partnership. This partnership began on January 26, 1998, and it was India’s first-ever agreement of this kind.
