The seventh edition of India-France joint military exercise codenamed ‘Shakti’ commenced today at Umroi military station in a fully developed and modern Foreign Training Node. The exercise will conclude on May 26.
The opening ceremony of the joint exercise was attended by France Ambassador to India Thierry Mathou and Major General Prasanna Sudhakar Joshi, General Officer Commanding 51 Sub Area.
‘Shakti’ is a biennial training event conducted alternatively in India and France. The last edition was conducted in France in November 2021.
During this military exercise, the Indian contingent comprising 90 personnel is being represented primarily by a battalion of the Rajput Regiment besides personnel from other arms and services. Observers from the Indian Navy and the Indian Air Force will also form part of the exercise. The French contingent comprising 90 personnel will be represented mainly by personnel from the 13th Foreign Legion Half- Brigade.
According to a press release, the aim of the military exercise is to enhance joint military capability of both sides to undertake multi-domain operations in a sub-conventional scenario under Chapter VII of the United Nations Mandate.
The joint exercise will focus on operations in the semi-urban and mountainous terrain. The objectives to be achieved from the joint training are a high degree of physical fitness, rehearsing and refining drills for operations at tactical level and sharing of best practices.
Tactical drills to be practiced during the exercise will include response to a terrorist action of capturing a defined territory, establishment of a Joint Command Post, establishment of an intelligence and surveillance centre, securing of a helipad/landing site, small team insertion and extraction, special heliborne operations, cordon and search operations besides employment of drones and counter drone systems among others.
The military exercise will enable the two sides to share their best practices in Tactics, Techniques and Procedures of conducting joint operations.
“The joint exercise will facilitate developing interoperability, bonhomie and camaraderie between armed forces personnel of the two countries. This will also enhance the level of defence cooperation, further fostering bilateral relations between the two friendly nations,” the release said.
