France-led multinational naval exercise underway in Indian Ocean region

A press statement from the Indian Navy said, “The biennial exercise La Pérouse is conducted by the French Navy and is aimed at enhancing maritime domain awareness and optimising maritime coordination amongst the participating navies in the Indo-Pacific region. The two-day exercise provides an opportunity for like-minded navies to develop closer links in planning, coordination and information sharing for seamless maritime operations. The exercise will witness complex and advanced naval operations including surface warfare, anti-air warfare, air defence exercises, cross-deck landings and tactical manoeuvres.”

The indigenously built guided missile frigate INS Sahyadri and fleet tanker INS Jyoti will be participating in this edition. “Participation of the Indian Navy in the exercise showcases the high levels of synergy, coordination and interoperability between the friendly navies, and their commitment to a rules-based international order in the Indo-Pacific region.” the Indian Navy has said.

In its press release about the 2021 edition of the exercise, the French embassy in New Delhi had said that the exercise would provide an “opportunity for these five like-minded, high-end naval forces to develop closer links, sharpen their skills, and promote maritime cooperation throughout a free and open Indo-Pacific.”

The release had also said, “Maritime cooperation between France and India goes back decades, with the first joint Varuna naval exercise taking place in 1983, and has been growing steadily, especially in the last few years. In 2018, during the state visit of the President of the French republic to India, H.E. Mr Emmanuel Macron, France and India concluded an agreement that enables reciprocal logistics support between French and Indian armed forces and provides mutual access to military bases including naval ports.”