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The annually held Varuna naval exercise is an integral part of France–India strategic relationship in the 21st century and consists of naval cooperation drills between the French Navy and the Indian Navy.
The joint-exercises are held either in the Indian Ocean or Mediterranean sea with the aim of improving Indo-French coordination on capabilities like cross-deck operations, replenishment-at-sea, minesweeping, anti-submarine warfare and information sharing.
2015 Varuna exercises will focus on theatre-level Indo-French military cooperation in aero-naval and anti-submarine warfare. A French battle-group led by French aircraft carrier Charles de Gaulle (R91) and carrying aero-naval version of Rafale aircraft will operate alongside the Western Naval Command.
France is Littoral State of the Indian Ocean through the French Overseas region of Réunion, Mayotte & Scattered Islands in the Indian Ocean.
The inaugural Varuna naval exercise took place in 2001.