French Air and Space Force to take part in Tarang Shakti exercise in Tamil Nadu
French Air and Space Force will participate in India's first multilateral air exercise, Tarang Shakti-2024, which is set to begin at Air Force Station Sulur in Tamil Nadu on August 6.
The French contingent will comprise three Rafale fighter jets, one Multirole Tanker Transport (MRTT) aircraft, and one A400M, with a total of 160 Air Force personnel, according to French Embassy in India press release.
In the press release, the French Embassy in India stated, «Three other nations are participating in the first phase of this exercise, including EU Member States Germany and Spain, which have been partners of the Pacific Skies deployment from Alaska to India.»
The French contingent's participation forms part of its two-month long mission across the Indo-Pacific region, which started in France at the end of June and will conclude on August 15, according to the French Embassy in India press release.
The French Embassy in India further stated, «The mission's goals are to demonstrate France's ability to protect its sovereignty as a resident nation of the Indo-Pacific with several territories in the region, promote the rule of law and multilateralism in this zone, and enhance interoperability with key partners like India. By the end of its mission, the PEGASE 24 will have made stopovers in 13 partner nations and taken part in three major exercises throughout this period, including Tarang Shakti.»
The French Ambassador to India, Thierry Mathou, called India a «trusted strategic partner» for France and said that France is
