A French Air and Space Force contingent is set to participate in India’s inaugural multilateral air exercise, Tarang Shakti-2024, which will commence at Air Force Station Sulur in Tamil Nadu on August 6. This marks a significant event in the realm of international military cooperation.
The French delegation will include three Rafale fighter jets, one Multirole Tanker Transport (MRTT) aircraft, and one A400M aircraft, accompanied by a total of 160 personnel from the French Air Force, according to a press release from the French Embassy in India. This deployment is part of a larger mission that began in France at the end of June and will run until August 15. The mission, known as PEGASE 24, aims to showcase France’s ability to safeguard its sovereignty in the Indo-Pacific region, a significant area for France due to its several territories located there.
The French Embassy highlighted that the mission’s objectives include promoting the rule of law and multilateralism in the Indo-Pacific region, as well as enhancing interoperability with key partners such as India. PEGASE 24 will include stops in 13 partner nations and participation in three major exercises, including Tarang Shakti.
The French Ambassador to India, Thierry Mathou, emphasized the strategic partnership between France and India, describing India as a “trusted strategic partner.” He expressed pride in France’s participation in India’s first multilateral air exercise, noting that it underscores France’s commitment as a resident power in the Indo-Pacific. Mathou also highlighted the European dimension of Tarang Shakti, with Germany and Spain, both EU member states, joining the exercise.
To mark the conclusion of Tarang Shakti and the PEGASE 24 mission, France’s Chief of Air Staff, General Stephane Mille, will visit India from August 12-14. During his visit, General Mille will attend the exercise’s closing ceremony at AFS Sulur, meet with his Indian counterpart and other key officials in Delhi, and speak at the National Defence College.
The French Embassy detailed that military cooperation between France and India has intensified significantly in 2024. This year has seen a range of joint activities, including a major army exercise named SHAKTI, held in Meghalaya in May, and French Navy participation in the ‘Milan’ multinational exercise in the Bay of Bengal in February. Additionally, the first-ever India-France-UAE air trilateral exercise took place off the coast of Mumbai in January.
Further strengthening the bilateral relationship, Indian Chief of Defence Staff (CDS) General Anil Chauhan visited France in April, while French military chiefs also visited India. The French and Indian navies are preparing for their bilateral VARUNA exercises, scheduled for later in the year.
The ongoing collaboration between the French and Indian armed forces reflects a deep-seated trust and strategic partnership that has been cultivated over decades. Historical exercises include the VARUNA Navy exercises, which began in 1983, GARUDA Air exercises, and SHAKTI Army exercises. Both nations have also participated in each other’s multilateral drills, such as the France-led La Perouse naval exercise in 2022 and the ORION mega-exercise in 2023.
In January of this year, French President Emmanuel Macron and Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi expressed their satisfaction with the growing complexity and interoperability of their joint defense exercises across air, sea, and land domains. They also agreed to explore the possibility of a distinct joint tri-services exercise, further illustrating the robust and evolving defense partnership between the two countries.
