The Indian Air Force (IAF) is set to take part in its biggest joint air exercises of the year, with the French Air Force. This would be the sixth edition of the Garuda air exercises jointly carried out by India and France as part of the growing strategic cooperation between the two countries. Garuda VI will offer the IAF an opportunity to gain experience and information on operating its existing fleet of Sukhoi Su-30 fighters with the Rafale fighters, which are set to join its fleet.
The IAF contingent will include 10 Sukhoi Su-30 fighters, an Ilyushin IL-78 aerial refuelling tanker, an Ilyushin IL-76 Airborne Warning and Control System (AWACS) and 150 IAF officers. The Garuda VI exercises will take place for two weeks beginning in the first week of July.
A key component of the Garuda VI exercises for the IAF are likely to be the opportunity to gather operational information on the Dassault Rafale omnirole fighters, which India has ordered 36 of. French Air Force Rafales will be part of the exercises, and are likely to share airspace with the IAF's Su-30s.
Garuda VI will be conducted at an air base in France. The last Garuda exercise was conducted in 2014 at the Jodhpur airbase. The four previous exercises were held in 2003, 2005, 2007 and 2010. The Garuda exercises were held in France in 2005 and 2010. Both times they were held at the Istres Air Base on the southern coast of France, which also serves as a testing facility for Dassault Aviation and Snecma, the manufacturer and engine maker of the Rafale respectively.
Garuda is the name of the series of exercises jointly carried out by the air forces of India and Frances, to go with the army and navy exercises, which are called Shakti and Varuna respectively. India and France also agreed in October 2018 that they would carry out tri-services exercises, which would involve all three wings of their armed forces.
