India on Friday kicked off the ‘Garuda’ air combat exercise with France at Jodhpur. Indian Air Force (IAF) and French Air and Space Force (FASF) are participating in a bilateral exercise from 26 October to 12 November 2022 at Air Force Station Jodhpur, the Ministry of Defence said in a statement.

This is the seventh edition of the Garuda air exercises jointly carried out by India and France as part of the growing strategic cooperation between the two countries, it said.

This exercise “will provide a platform to the IAF and the French Air and Space Force to enhance operational capability and interoperability”, an IAF spokesperson said.

The French Air and Space Force (FASF) has participated in the exercise with four Rafale fighter jets, one A-330 Multi Role Tanker Transport (MRTT) aircraft and a contingent of 220 personnel, the officials said.

IAF is participating with Rafale, Sukhoi-30MKI, Tejas and Jaguar jets as well as Mi-17 and the new indigenous Prachanda light combat helicopters.

The IAF contingent will also include combat-enabling assets like flight refuelling aircraft, AWACS (Airborne Warning and Control System) and AEW&C (Airborne Early Warning and Control) aircraft.

“This joint exercise will provide a platform for both the countries to enhance operational capability and interoperability, while also sharing best practices,” the IAF said in a release.

It is the seventh edition of the bilateral exercise. The first, third and fifth editions were conducted in India in 2003, 2006 and 2014 at Air Force stations Gwalior, Kalaikunda and Jodhpur, respectively.

The second, fourth and sixth editions were conducted in France in 2005, 2010 and 2019.

“Participation of the IAF and FASF in this exercise will promote professional interaction, exchange of experiences and enhancement of operational knowledge, besides strengthening bilateral relations between the two countries,” the IAF said.

Image source: PIB