INDIAN AND FRENCH AIR FORCE BILATERAL EXERCISE DESERT KNIGHT- 21

The Indian and French Air & Space Force (Armée de l’Air et de l’Espace) conducted a five-days bilateral air drill at Air Force Station Jodhpur in India from 20th to 24th June, 2021.

As a part of Indo-French Defence Cooperation, six editions of air drill ‘Garuda’were conducted. The latest being in the year 2010, at Air Force Base Mont-de-Marsan in France.

The Desert Knight- 21 exercise is unique as it will include the Rafale fighter jets by both sides. It also indicates the growing interaction between the air forces of the two nations- India & France.

• Aircrafts from Indian Air Force:- Rafale, Su-30 MKI, Mirage 2000, IL-78 Flight Refuelling Aircraft, AWACS and AEW&C aircraft.

• Aircrafts from French Air Force:- Rafale, Airbus A-330 Multi-Role Tanker Transport (MRTT), A-400M Tactical Transport aircraft and approximately 175 personnel.

Different Exercises between India & France:-

• Varuna: Naval exercise
• Garuda: Air Exercise
• Shakti: Army Exercise

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