Armoured vehicles to fighter jets dominate India-France joint wargame 'Exercise Shakti'

Indian and French militaries carried out a two-week joint military drill, Exercise Shakti, a biennial training engagement aimed at enhancing interoperability, operational coordination, and military-to-military connect to deal with various security challenges.

 

About 50 armoured and tactical vehicles and fighter jets were deployed in the exercise, held from June 18 to July 1, in Aveyron in Monclar district, and in Herault, France.

 

The Indian contingent of 90 personnel primarily comprises a battalion of the Jammu and Kashmir Rifles besides personnel from other arms and services, while more than 500 legionnaires and military personnel from various units of the French Army, the Foreign Legion, as well as the French Air and Space Force, and the French Navy participated in the exercise.

 

The 2025 edition of the exercise focused on joint operations in a sub-conventional environment under Chapter VII of the United Nations Charter, with training being conducted in semi-urban terrain.

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Exercise Shakti was a vital opportunity for Indian and French military personnel to boost joint operational preparedness for facing the toughest combat situations in a sub-conventional environment, a statement from the French embassy said.

 

"Serving as an effective platform for exchanging best practices in tactics, techniques, and procedures, exercise Shakti will pave the way for deeper cooperation and mutual respect between the French and the Indian armed forces as well as significantly reinforcing the Indo-French defence partnership," it added.

Defence