The 14th edition of the Indo-French naval exercise (Varuna) concluded on Saturday with Goa Chief Minister Laxmikant Parsekar, along with Vice-Admiral SPS Cheema, Flag Officer Commanding-in-Chief, Western Naval Command, reviewing the progress of the exercise from the French Navy’s aircraft carrier Charles de Gaulle .
The 10-day exercise started on April 23 and included both a harbour and a sea phase.
The exercise goes a long way in enhancing interoperability between the two navies and showcases the close ties between the two countries.
Varuna started with the arrival of four French naval ships. Representing the French Navy is Charles de Gaulle , the destroyers Chevalier Paul and Jean de Vienne , replenishment tanker Meuse and a maritime patrol aircraft, Atlantique 2 .
Charles de Gaulle carried its complement of the fighter aircraft Rafale M, strike aircraft Super Etendard, E2C Hawkeye AWACS and helicopters Dauphin and Alouette 3. The aircraft carrier INS Viraat , destroyer Mumbai , stealth frigate Tarkash , guided missile frigate Gomati , replenishment tanker Deepak , submarine Shankul and a few fast-attack craft participated from the Indian side. The scope of the exercise included the entire gamut of maritime operations from aircraft carrier operations, anti-submarine warfare exercises, maritime interdiction operations and a multi-ship replenishment exercise.
