New Delhi: The French Air and Space Force will be participating in India's first multilateral air exercise, Tarang Shakti-2024, set to commence at Air Force Station Sulur in Tamil Nadu on August 6.

Key Points:

• Tarang Shakti-2024 will be India's largest international air exercise, with invitations sent to 51 countries.
• The Indian Air Force has received confirmations from ten countries to participate with their assets and 18 countries as observers.
• Phase one of the exercise will take place at Sulur, Tamil Nadu, from August 6 to August 14, featuring assets from France, Germany, Spain, and the United Kingdom.
• Phase two will be held at Jodhpur, Rajasthan, from September 1 to 14, with participation from Australia, Bangladesh, Greece, Singapore, UAE, and the USA.

The French contingent will include three Rafale fighter jets, one Multirole Tanker Transport (MRTT) aircraft, and one A400M, with a total of 160 Air Force personnel, according to a press release from the French Embassy in India.

This participation is part of a two-month mission across the Indo-Pacific region, which began in France at the end of June and will conclude on August 15. The mission aims to demonstrate France's ability to protect its sovereignty in the Indo-Pacific, promote the rule of law and multilateralism, and enhance interoperability with key partners like India. The PEGASE 24 mission will have stopovers in 13 partner nations and participate in three major exercises, including Tarang Shakti.

French Ambassador to India, Thierry Mathou, expressed pride in France's participation, calling India a "trusted strategic partner." Mathou stated, "As India's trusted strategic partner, France is proud to participate in India's first-ever multilateral air exercise and contribute to making it a success. Our contingent joins India as part of an extended deployment in the Indo-Pacific, reflecting France's commitment as a resident power of the region."

To mark the end of Tarang Shakti and the PEGASE 24 mission, France's Chief of Air Staff, General Stephane Mille, will visit India from August 12-14. He will attend the closing ceremony at AFS Sulur, meet key officials in Delhi, and speak at the National Defence College.

The French Embassy highlighted the intense military cooperation between France and India in 2024, including the SHAKTI joint army exercise in Meghalaya in May, the French Navy's participation in the 'Milan' multinational exercise in February, and the first India-France-UAE air trilateral exercise in January. These exercises, such as VARUNA, GARUDA, and SHAKTI, illustrate the longstanding trust and partnership between the armed forces of both nations.

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