January 3rd 2025.
In an impressive display of the growing strategic ties between India and France, the French Navy's nuclear-powered aircraft carrier Charles de Gaulle and its entire carrier strike group will be making a visit to Goa and Kochi starting this Saturday. This mega naval fleet, known as a carrier battle group or carrier strike group, is composed of the aircraft carrier itself and a large number of destroyers, frigates, and other accompanying ships.
Currently, the French carrier strike group, also known as CSG, is stationed in the Indian Ocean where it is conducting joint training sessions with its regional partners and allies, including India. This visit to India is a part of their ongoing mission, CLEMENCEAU 25, which will also take them to Indonesia for exercise La Perouse and then to the Pacific Ocean for exercise Pacific Steller.
France and India's maritime cooperation has seen significant growth in recent years, with India being France's foremost strategic partner since 1998. The French embassy, in its readout announcing the CSG's visit, highlighted the numerous bilateral exercises between the two countries, such as Shakti on land, Varuna at sea, and Garuda in the air. Additionally, India has also hosted 16 operational stopovers for French Navy vessels since 2022.
During their visit, the Charles de Gaulle CSG and Indian Navy ships will participate in the 42nd annual Varuna bilateral exercise. This aero-naval training aims to enhance interoperability and prepare crews for dealing with multi-milieu threats in the air, surface, and submarine domains.
As resident nations of the Indian Ocean, France and India regularly cooperate to contribute to maritime safety in the region. France has been a member of the Indian Ocean Naval Symposium since 2008, which was initiated by India and now includes 25 navies from Indian Ocean countries. The forum's goal is to increase collective effectiveness in addressing various maritime issues, such as illegal trafficking, illegal fishing, search and rescue at sea, and pollution. France currently holds the presidency of the forum from 2021 to 2023.
In the Indian Ocean, France is actively involved in several missions, including the European ATALANTA operation to combat piracy and drug trafficking, the international naval coalition Combined Task Force 150 to combat illicit trafficking, and the European Union's ASPIDES operation to ensure maritime safety and freedom of navigation from Suez to Hormuz. Operation Atlanta is a crucial maritime security operation under the EU Common Security and Defence Policy.
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