An impressive flypast consisting of four Rafale, five MiG 29-Ks and one Hawkeye was witnessed by Indian and French Navy officers onboard the French carrier Charles De Gaulle.
The Indo-French bilateral naval exercise "Varuna-19" concluded on Friday with both the Indian and French Navies Carrier Task Forces executing close range manoeuvers, an official statement said.
Dignitaries from both the navies visited the French carrier task force and were briefed on the conduct of the exercise. An impressive flypast consisting of four Rafale, five MiG 29-Ks and one Hawkeye was witnessed by VAdm P Ajit Kumar, Flag Officer Commanding-in-Chief Western Naval Command, Alexandre Ziegler, the French Ambassador to India and nine French Navy dignitaries onboard the French Carrier Charles De Gaulle.
The CinC also interacted with Alexandre Ziegler, Rear Admiral Didier Malaterre, Rear Admiral Olivier Lebas, Commander of the Carrier Strike Group Charles de Gaulle and the Fleet Commander of the Indian Navy Western Fleet during the day.
Later in the day, a brief was held between the planning staff of both Task Forces to review the conduct of the exercise and identify areas for improvement. The exercise concluded with Indian and French naval helicopters carrying out extensive cross-deck operations for personnel transfer.
(With inputs from ANI)
1. Rafale fighter jets flyby
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French Rafale fighter jets fly near the aircraft carrier "Charles de Gaulle" during a joint Indo-French naval exercise Varuna, in the Arabian sea, off Goa coast on May 9, 2019.
Dignitaries from both the navies visited the French carrier task force and were briefed on the conduct of the exercise. An impressive flypast consisting of four Rafale, five MiG 29-Ks and one Hawkeye was witnessed by VAdm P Ajit Kumar, Flag Officer Commanding-in-Chief Western Naval Command, Alexandre Ziegler, the French Ambassador to India and nine French Navy dignitaries onboard the French Carrier Charles De Gaulle.
(Photo: AFP)
2. 'Great inter-operability and bonhomie'
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The level of operations intensified on the final day of Varuna Sea Phase exercise between navies of France and India with multi-helicopter operations with cross deck landings.
Have a look at Flagship of #IndianNavy #INSVikramaditya keeping an Eagle's eye alongwith @MarineNationale Carrier Charles De Gaulle for the safety of one and all in IOR. Great inter-operability and bonhomie. Wishing @MarineNationale CBG Good Luck & Bon Voyage pic.twitter.com/Suq87df1hS
— SpokespersonNavy (@indiannavy) May 10, 2019
3. Last day of Exercise Varuna
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VAdm P Ajit Kumar FOCinC (W) embarked aircraft carrier Charles De Gaulle & witnessed ops on the last day of Exercise Varuna.
VAdm P Ajit Kumar FOCinC (W) embarked @MarineNationale aircraft carrier Charles De Gaulle & witnessed ops on the last day of #ExVARUNA. He also interacted with @FranceinIndia & RAdm Didier Maleterre, ALINDIEN,
— SpokespersonNavy (@indiannavy) May 10, 2019
Cdr of CSG Charles de Gaulle RAdm Olivier Lebas & FOCWF RAdm SJ Singh pic.twitter.com/BVgl7yCNuR
4. Exercise Varuna concludes
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Indian and French ships on the last day of Exercise Varuna. The 10-day exercise which began on May 01 included the participation of the French Navy's aircraft carrier FNS Charles de Gaulle, two destroyers, FNS Forbin and FNS Provence, the frigate FNS Latouche-Treville, the tanker FNS Marne and a nuclear submarine.
From the Indian side, aircraft carrier INS Vikramaditya, destroyer INS Mumbai, the Teg-class frigate, INS Tarkash, the Shishumar - class submarine, INS Shankul, and the Deepak-class fleet tanker, INS Deepak participated in the exercise.
Some pics from the final Day of #ExVARUNA 1/n pic.twitter.com/I07X7KxyAV
— SpokespersonNavy (@indiannavy) May 11, 2019
5. Exercise Varuna: Vital part of Indo-French strategic partnership
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The second part of the Indo-French naval exercise, Varuna 19.2, is scheduled to be held at the end of May in Djibouti. The bilateral naval exercise initiated in 1983 and christened as 'Varuna' in 2001, form a vital part of the Indo-French strategic partnership.
The Varuna exercise aims at developing interoperability between the two navies and fostering mutual cooperation by learning from each other's best practices to conduct joint operations.
6. French aircraft carrier Charles de Gaulle in Arabian sea
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French aircraft carrier "Charles de Gaulle" during a joint Indo-French naval exercise Varuna, seen in action in the Arabian sea, off the Goa coast on Friday.
(Photo: ANI)
7. Charles de Gaulle in Arabian sea
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French aircraft carrier "Charles de Gaulle" during a joint Indo-French naval exercise Varuna, seen in action in the Arabian sea, off Goa coast on Friday.
(ANI Photo)
8. Rafale onboard Charles de Gaulle
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French servicemen and crew line up Rafale fighter jets for take off from the aircraft carrier "Charles de Gaulle" during a joint Indo-French naval exercise Varuna, in the Arabian sea, off Goa coast on May 9, 2019.
(Photo: AFP)
9. Sunset on Charles de Gaulle
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French Rafale fighter jets sit at the sunset on the aircraft carrier "Charles de Gaulle" during a joint Indo-French naval exercise Varuna, in the Arabian sea, off Goa coast on May 9, 2019.
(Photo: AFP)
10. French Rafale prepares for take off
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A French Rafale fighter jet prepares for take off from the aircraft carrier "Charles de Gaulle" during a joint Indo-French naval exercise Varuna, in the Arabian sea, off Goa coast on May 9, 2019.
(Photo: AFP)
11. Rafale prepares to land
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A French Rafale fighter jet prepares to land on the aircraft carrier "Charles de Gaulle" during a joint Indo-French naval exercise Varuna, in the Arabian sea, off Goa coast on May 9, 2019.
(Photo: AFP)
