Navy’s MiG-29K to take on France’s Rafale-M off Goa

  1. India and France will hold their largest ever naval exercise called ‘Varuna’.The exercise will take place at Goa from 1 May 2019.
  2. The exercise is expected to involve aircraft carriers,destroyer ships, submarines and fighter planes which will make it a mega event to happen in the history of the relationship between the two nations.
  3. The two countries will be deploying their aircraft carriers with India deploying its INS Vikramaditya and Mig-29K.On the other hand,France will be deploying its Charles de gaulle and Rafale-M naval fighter jet.
  4. The two countries have also operationalized their reciprocal military logistics support agreement,which saw French anti-aircraft destroyer FNS Cassard docking at the Mumbai naval port in January.
  5. Under the agreement,Indian warships can access French bases like the Reunion Islands near Madagascar and Djibouti on the Horn of Africa in the Indian Ocean.