Exercise VARUNA 2021

Why in News

The 19^th edition of the Indian and French Navy bilateral exercise ‘VARUNA-2021’ is being conducted in the Arabian Sea.

• Earlier this year, the Indian Navy took part for the first time in the France-led naval exercise “La Perouse “with the navies of the US, Australia and Japan.
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Key Points

• About the Exercise:
  • Background:
    • The Indian and French Navies have been conducting bilateral maritime exercises since 1993. Since 2001, these exercises have been called ‘VARUNA’.
    • These interactions further underscore the shared values as partner navies, in ensuring freedom of seas and commitment to an open, inclusive  Indo-Pacific and a rules-based international order.
  • 2021 Exercise:
    • This is the first time that the United Arab Emirates (UAE) is participatingin the Varuna maritime exercise.
    • The ‘Varuna’ joint exercise is part of the French carrier strike group’s ‘CLEMENCEAU 21’ deployment, which the French Navy is conducting in the eastern Mediterranean, the Gulf and the Indian Ocean (Arabian Sea).
      • Its goal is to contribute to the stabilization of these strategic zonesand strengthening cooperation with the navies of partner countries, in particular India for the Indian Ocean component.
      • As part of this deployment, the Carrier Strike Group is also taking part in anti-ISIS (the Islamic State of Iraq and Syria) operations.
    • The exercise will see high tempo-naval operations at sea, including advanced air defence and anti-submarine exercises, tactical manoeuvres, underway replenishment and other maritime security operations.
  • Other Indo-French Joint Exercises:
    • Desert Knight-21 and Garuda (Air exercise)
    • Varuna (Naval exercise)
    • Shakti (Army exercise)