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Exercise Garuda was conducted at Mont-de-Marsan Airforce base 118 in southwestern France . Such a strategic bilateral Indo-French Exercise intends to improve French and Indian crews’ cooperation in air defence & ground assault tasks. Many French Air Force aircraft were deployed, such as the Rafale, Alpha Jet, Mirage 2000, C135, E3F, C130, and Casa. Seven Indian planes — four Sukhoi Su-30s, two C17s, and one Ilyushin 78 – flew southwest of France & arrived on June 28. Two out of four SU-30s flew in the nationwide Air Force get together to support the Air Force Public Work programme.
New Delhi: On Friday, the Indian Air Force detachment arrived at Mont-de-Marsan Airbase in France for the Indo-French joint mission Garuda.
Colonel Gaudillere, the director of Air Base Mont-De-Marsan, welcomed the Indian Air Force upon their presence.
“Recently, an IAF contingent arrived at Airbase Mont-de-Marsan in France. The French Air Force greeted the IAF group with open arms. The IAF’s air fighters are poised to take to the skies. “In a statement, the IAF stated.
Indo-French Air Exercise
The Indo-French Air Exercise “Garuda VI” was held in Mont-de-Marsan Airforce base 118 between July 1 – 12.
The Exercise Garuda was conducted at Mont-de-Marsan Airforce base 118 between July 1 – 12, 2019, as a component of the Indo-Pacific partnership. The strategic bilateral Indo-French operation intends to improve both French and Indian crews’ cooperation in air defence & ground assault tasks. The Exercise Garuda is conducted alternately in France & India as part of the worldwide context of bilateral ties between the two countries.
Many French Air Force aircraft participated in this operation, including the Rafale, Alpha Jet, Mirage 2000, C135, E3F, C130, and Casa.
The four SU-30 MKIs are all from Air Force Station (AFS) Bareilly’s 24th “Hunting Hawks” unit, whereas the Ilyushin 78 is from AFS Agra’s 78th “Battle-Cry” unit, and also the two C17s seem to be from AFS Hindon’s 81st “SkyLords” squadron.
Around June 26, these planes flew out of India. They got fueled up in the Mediterranean by a French Air Force C135, following stops in the United Arab Emirates & Egypt.
Two out of four SU-30s took part in a global Air Force meeting for the advantage of Air Force Social Work (FOSA), which took place at the Cazaux 120 airfield somewhat on the 29th and 30th of June.
Importance of Indo-French Air Exercise “Garuda
The fifth round of the Indo-French aviation Exercise Garuda was conducted in Air Force Station Jodhpur between June 2 – 13, 2014.
4 Rafale omnirole fighter jets from 3/30 Fighting Squadron “Lorraine” and a C-135 FR tanker aircraft from 2/91 Air Refuelling Unit “Bretagne” were assigned to Jodhpur Airbase.
General Denis Mercier, the Chief of the French Air Force, was present at the operation. Nine Rafale aircrews & twenty-seven Rafale specialists are among 94 French Air Force troops deployed.
Sukhoi-30 MKIs, MiG-27 “UPG” and MiG-21 “Bison” aeroplanes, Ilyushin Il-78 tanker planes & Ilyushin Il-76 AWACS airborne slightly earlier, and command aircraft were all part of the Indian Air Force’s involvement.
The Exercise’s goals were to transfer pilot expertise among French and Indian flyers and improve interoperability & cooperation between different air powers, particularly in-air refuelling. Rafale fighter jets already were fighting in Afghanistan, Libya, & Mali. Regular military training sorties were performed against or beside one another in various strategic settings that provided progressively sophisticated and real training exercises.
The Rafale fighter plane made its first appearance inside an air practice in India during “Garuda V.” The “Garuda” program of air operations is an essential part of a bilateral military partnership between India and France. The bilateral military partnership is a pillar of France & India’s new alliance, created in 1998.
Conclusion
The French Aircraft and Space Forces and the Indian Air Force have conducted six versions of the “Garuda” air operation as part of Indo-French Military Cooperation. In 2019, the sixth and last operation was performed at Airbase Mont-de-Marsan in France. In contrast to the Garuda program workout, the Ex-Desert Knight 21 has been performed. The Exercise’s primary objective would be to expose participants to operation situations and share knowledge. Rafale Fighter Jets, Multi-role Tanker Transporter, and roughly 175 people from the French Aircraft and Space Force will participate.
