India and France conduct naval drills off Toulon in Varuna exercise
INS Trishul trained with French ships, a submarine and aircraft during the 24th Varuna exercise, the Indian Navy said on October 1.
Indian and French naval units have conducted anti-submarine, anti-surface and live-firing drills during the 24th edition of Exercise Varuna, according to an Indian Navy account released on October 1. INS Trishul arrived at Toulon in southern France on September 22 for the annual bilateral exercise.
The sea phase brought Trishul together with French units Forbin, La Fayette and Suffren, alongside NH90 helicopters and Atlantique 2 maritime patrol aircraft. Cross-deck helicopter landings were also included in the programme.
The practical focus was cooperation between ships, aircraft and personnel that normally operate within different naval systems. The navy described the drills as strengthening operational coordination and interoperability — the ability of the two forces to work together.
Before the sea phase, personnel exchanged operational experience and visited one another’s ships. Trishul’s crew also visited the French carrier Charles de Gaulle, as well as Forbin and La Fayette, for exposure to carrier operations, aviation facilities and onboard practices.
The October 1 release is an official account of the exercise, not evidence that every activity took place on that date. It gives September 22 as Trishul’s arrival date but does not provide a day-by-day schedule for the sea drills. It also does not announce a new defence agreement or a combat deployment.