SHAKTI-VIII: The Indian Army and the French Armed Forces are working closely together in a joint military exercise called SHAKTI-VIII, which is going on right now at Camp Larzac in La Cavalerie, located in southern France. This exercise is showing how strong the friendship and understanding is between both countries. It is also giving both armies a chance to improve how they work together during tough and stressful situations. Around 90 soldiers from each country are part of this activity.
The Indian troops mainly belong to the Jammu & Kashmir Rifles battalion, while the French troops come from the 13e Demi-Brigade de Légion Étrangère. The soldiers are being tested on how well they can make decisions, stay strong physically and mentally, and lead their teams during missions.
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Multi-Domain Tactical Proficiency
SHAKTI-VIII is tailored to sub-conventional warfare and includes a broad array of realistic, mission-specific drills:
- Combat shooting in semi-developed terrain
- Obstacle crossings and urban combat drills
- Joint patrols and troop insertion techniques
- 96-hour high-intensity field operation, simulating multi-domain scenarios
Modern Warfare with New Technology
The SHAKTI-VIII exercise is also focusing a lot on modern methods of fighting in today’s world. Special teams from both India and France are taking part in advanced training on Electronic Warfare (EW) and Counter-Unmanned Aerial Systems (C-UAS). These sessions include learning how to block enemy signals, listen in on communications, control the radio wave space, and even stop or bring down drones.
These types of activities are very important in modern wars because many fights today happen using technology, not just weapons on the ground. By practicing these new methods, both armies are learning how to face future threats better and stay ready for any challenge. These joint sessions are helping both countries prepare for a type of warfare where the battleground includes invisible signals and flying machines.
Stronger Relation Between India and France
The exercise also had a very important visitor Sanjeev Singla, who is the Ambassador of India to France and Monaco. He came to the camp to meet the soldiers and speak to both Indian and French troops. He praised the Indian soldiers for their discipline and teamwork, reported ANI.
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He also said the joint exercise is making the bond between India and France even stronger. His visit made the soldiers feel proud and gave them extra motivation. He reminded everyone that India is serious about its relationship with France and wants to grow even closer when it comes to defense and working together during emergencies.
SHAKTI is not a new exercise. It happens every two years and has always helped India and France share their ideas and learn how to operate together under missions like United Nations tasks. These exercises help both armies practice how to respond to emergencies, peacekeeping missions, and even threats that can come from different parts of the world.
