First India-France army war game in Sept-Oct
July 29th, 2011 - 9:22 pm ICT by IANSNew Delhi, July 29 (IANS) India will for the first time hold a joint army war game with France when platoon-sized forces from each side undertake counter-terrorism operations at Chaubatia in Uttarakhand in September-October.
The ‘Shakti’ exercise will be a regular series like the ‘Varuna’ and ‘Garuda’ joint drills between the two navies and air forces, an officer at the army headquarters here said Friday.
Shakti is a sign of growing military-to-military relations between the two strategic partners in geopolitics, with France being an staunch supporter of India’s candidature for a permanent seat in an expanded UN Security Council, apart from being a partner in the civilian nuclear power sector.
India has recently short-listed the French Rafale fighter jet for the $10.4 billion tender for 126 combat aircraft for its air force and it is pitted against European consortium EADS’ Eurofighter Typhoon. The lowest bidder among the two will be known in about a month-and-half from now.
India also Friday signed a deal with French defence firms Thales and Dassault for upgrade of its 51 Mirage-2000 fighter jets of the 1980s vintage at a cost of $2.4 billion.
Meanwhile, 200 Indian Army troops are participating in the ‘Ajayee Warrior’ war game with the British Army at the latter’s hi-tech land warfare centre near Salisbury, the officer said.
- First India, France joint army exercise begins - Oct 10, 2011
- Indian Army ramps up joint exercises with foreign militaries - Sep 29, 2011
- Manmohan, Hollande talk India's $20-bn plane deal - Jun 20, 2012
- France's Dassault wins India's $10.4 bn combat jet deal (Roundup) - Jan 31, 2012
- Price talks for 126 jets to begin this month: IAF chief - Mar 10, 2011
- France's Dassault wins India's $10.4bn warplane deal (Intro Roundup) - Jan 31, 2012
- French bag India's largest defence order for fighter jets (Lead) - Jan 31, 2012
- IAF to finalise Rafale fighter deal this fiscal - Sep 20, 2012
- Dasault wins $10.4 bn IAF jet fighter deal - Jan 31, 2012
- Sarkozy promises technology transfer in fighter jet deal - Jan 31, 2012
- Eurofighter, Rafle extend dogfight from India to UAE - Nov 21, 2011
- German chancellor pitches for Eurofighter Typhoon - May 31, 2011
- British firm mulls price cut for Indian defence order - Feb 07, 2012
- The twists and turns of India's biggest defence deal - Jan 31, 2012
- India given choice to pioneer naval Typhoon jet - Aug 01, 2011
Tags: army headquarters, army troops, army war, british army, civilian nuclear power, counter terrorism, defence firms, eurofighter typhoon, european consortium, fighter jets, french defence, french rafale, indian army, land warfare, military relations, mirage 2000, nuclear power sector, rafale fighter, uttarakhand, war game