Indian and French navies to conduct 3-day wargame in Arabian Sea from Sunday

The Indian and French navies will hold a three-day mega wargame in the Arabian Sea beginning Sunday that will feature complex naval operations like advanced air defence and anti-submarine drills.

The 19th edition of the Varuna exercise will showcase the increasing levels of synergy, coordination and interoperability between the two navies, officials said.

The Indian Navy will deploy guided-missile stealth destroyer Kolkata, guided-missile frigates Tarkash and Talwar, fleet support ship Deepak, a Kalvari-class submarine and a sleet of P-8I long-range maritime patrol aircraft, they said.

The French Navy will be represented by aircraft carrier Charles-de-Gaulle with Rafale-M fighter jets, E2C Hawkeye aircraft and helicopters Caiman M and Dauphin, the officials said.

The French Navy will also deploy Horizon-class air defence destroyer Chevalier Paul, Aquitaine-class multi-mission frigate Provence and command and supply ship Var, they added.

The Indian side will be led by Rear Admiral Ajay Kochhar, Flag Officer Commanding, Western Fleet, while the French side will be headed by Rear Admiral Marc Aussedat, Commander Task Force 473.