In continuation of the Indian Navy’s overseas deployment to the Mediterranean Sea and West Coast of Africa, three Indian warships INS Mumbai, Trishul, and Aditya, reached at Toulon Naval Base, France.
On completion of the visit at Toulon, bilateral exercise Varuna between the Indian Navy and the French Navy is scheduled from 24 to 30 Apr 17.
The VARUNA series of exercises began in 2000 and have grown into an institutionalised form of interaction between the two navies. The last VARUNA exercise was held off the Indian coast.
Relations between India and France have traditionally been close and friendly. Defence cooperation between India and France has grown substantially in the recent past and the interaction between the Indian Navy and the French Navy has been one of the cornerstones of this framework.
Bilateral exercises such as Garuda, Shakti and Varuna have been a regular feature between the two nations.