Article Posted on : - Mar 19, 2015

INS Vikramaditya of India.

NEW DELHI (PTI): India and France will hold a 10 day naval exercise 'Varuna' next month that will see the French aircraft carrier Charles de Gaulle with naval version of Rafale fighter aircraft in action.

The exercise, to be held in the Western coast of India, will begin on April 23 and continue till May 3.

Defence sources said the French will also bring in two destroyers and one support ship, part of the Charles de Gaulle task force.

India will also deploy its aircraft carrier INS Vikramaditya along with other ships and aircraft.

The annually held Varuna naval exercise is an integral part of France-India strategic relationship and consists of naval cooperation drills between the French and the Indian Navy.

This year's exercise will focus on theatre-level Indo-French military cooperation in aero-naval and anti-submarine warfare.