Indo-French Joint Exercise Desert Knight-21:
- Indian Air Force (IAF) and French Air and Space Force will conduct a bilateral Air exercise, Ex Desert Knight-21 at Air Force Station Jodhpur from 20 to 24th Jan 2021.
- The exercise is unique as it includes fielding of Rafale aircraft by both sides and is indicative of the growing interaction between the two premiers Air Forces.
- Presently, the French detachment for Ex Desert Knight-21 is deployed in Asia as part of their ‘SKYROS Deployment’.
- Rafale fighter jets of India and France are carrying out wargames codenamed Exercise SKYROS.
- Beginning September 2020, the IAF has inducted and operationalised eight Rafale fighter jets of the 36 jets contracted from France in a 7.87-billion euro deal in 2016.
- Defence Exercises between India and France:
- Varuna – Naval exercise
- Garuda – Air exercise
- Shakti – Army exercise
- Gagan Shakti is conducted by the Indian Air Force to showcase its air dominance over the entire extended area of the Indian Ocean Region.
- It includes all terrain operations – desert, high altitude, maritime scenarios and special operations – in real time with specific focus on key areas like aerial combat, air to surface combat, paratrooper assault and medical evacuation.
- Garuda Shakti is the joint military exercise between India and Indonesia.
- Mitra Shakti is the joint military exercise between India and Sri Lanka.
