To boost defence ties, India, France eye tri-service drills
NEW DELHI: India and France are laying the groundwork for a new format of military exercises involving their armies, navies and air forces in what will be a major boost for defence cooperation between the two countries.
The joint tri-service drills came up for discussion when defence minister Nirmala Sitharaman met her French counterpart Florence Parly in Paris last week to explore ways to strengthen bilateral military ties, a senior official familiar with the developments said on condition of anonymity.
The first such tri-service exercise may take place next year, the official added. The existing military exercises between India and France are army-to-army, navyto-navy and air force-to- air force. While the navy-to-navy exercise is held annually, the army-toarmy drills are biennial. The two air forces exercise together once in three to four years. India and France announced their intention to enhance the level of joint military exercises during a summit between Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi and French President Emmanuel Macron in March. Russia is the only country with which India holds a joint triservice exercise — the first of these was held at Vladivostok last October, when more than 900 soldiers, sailors and air warriors from the Indian military took part in the exercise with over 1,000 personnel from the Russian defence forces. India and the United States are also in the process of formalising a new tri-service exercise, and discussed it at the inaugural ‘2+2’ dialogue between the two countries last month. The plan to conduct the joint tri-service drill with France is being implemented at a time when the two countries are taking steps to operationalise a logistics support pact, which was signed this March and seeks to extend logistical support on reciprocal access to military facilities.