Exercise Varuna 2018

From 1 to 7 May, the Indian and French Navies participated in Naval Exercise Varuna 2018 in the vicinity of Reunion Island administered by France in the Indian Ocean. The seven-day exercise witnessed simulated scenarios, including air defence, asymmetric warfare and embarkation of ships at sea. First phase of the exercise involved joint anti-submarine training off the Indian coast in Goa, with the participation of both a French nuclear submarine and the INS Kalvari (Scorpene- class submarine), while the second focused on amphibious operations off Chennai’s coast, also involving the French landing helicopter dock LHD Dixmude.

The exercise included participation of two major vessels of the Indian Navy, the destroyer INS Mumbai and the Talwar -class frigate INS Trikand, and the maiden deployment at Reunion Island of IN’s P-8I multimission maritime patrol aircraft, along with units of the French Navy deployed at Reunion Island, including the frigate Nivôse.