Indian Naval Ship Trishul reached Toulon in France on 22 September 2026 to take part in the 24th edition of Exercise Varuna with the French Navy. The bilateral naval exercise included harbour engagements at Toulon and drills at sea in the Mediterranean Sea. The edition tested joint skills in anti-submarine and anti-surface warfare and underlined the depth of the India France maritime partnership.
What Is Exercise Varuna?
Exercise Varuna is the annual bilateral naval exercise between the Indian Navy and the French Navy. The Varuna naval exercise forms a central part of the India France strategic partnership and focuses on joint operations at sea.
The core mandate of Exercise Varuna is to build interoperability, which means the ability of two navies to work together smoothly during real operations. The drills cover cross-deck helicopter landings, replenishment at sea, minesweeping, anti-submarine warfare and sharing of operational information. Replenishment at sea refers to the transfer of fuel and supplies from one ship to another while both vessels are moving. These skills allow both fleets to stay longer at sea and respond together to threats in the Indian Ocean and the Mediterranean Sea.
Varuna Exercise Between Which Countries and Started in Which Year?
Exercise Varuna is conducted between India and France. Bilateral naval exchanges between the two countries began in 1983 and the series was named Varuna in 2001. The first edition under the name Varuna was held in 2001 off Mumbai and Goa.
The Indian Navy states that the bilateral naval interaction started in 1993 in some records, while the wider naval cooperation traces back to 1983. The name Varuna, the Vedic god of the oceans, was formally adopted in 2001. Since then the exercise has been held almost every year, either in the Indian Ocean or in the Mediterranean Sea.
France is a littoral state of the Indian Ocean through its overseas territories of Reunion, Mayotte and the Scattered Islands. This gives the French Navy a permanent presence in waters close to India. Varuna therefore links European naval power in the Mediterranean with Indian naval power in the Indian Ocean, and both sides practise common procedures for carrier operations, submarine hunting and fleet support.
24th Edition at Toulon: Harbour and Sea Phase
The 24th edition of Exercise Varuna was conducted at the Toulon Naval Base on the French Mediterranean coast in late September 2026. The Toulon arsenal is the principal base of the French Navy and the largest naval base in the Mediterranean Sea and Western Europe. The base holds more than 60 percent of French naval tonnage, is the home port of the aircraft carrier Charles de Gaulle and the French nuclear attack submarine squadron, and supports about 20,000 military and civilian personnel.
Indian Naval Ship Trishul arrived at Toulon on 22 September 2026 and received a ceremonial water cannon salute from the French Navy. The ship sailed out for the sea phase on 25 September 2026. The harbour phase included professional meetings, cross-deck visits, sporting contests and cultural events. The Commanding Officer of INS Trishul called on Rear Admiral Mackara Ouk, Deputy Commander-in-Chief for Operations of the French Mediterranean Command (CECMED), and met senior French naval leaders.
The Indian crew laid a wreath at the Mazargues War Memorial in Marseille in memory of 205 Indian soldiers who died during the World Wars. The crew also visited the French carrier Charles de Gaulle and the frigates Forbin and La Fayette to study carrier operations, aviation handling and onboard practices. INS Trishul hosted a cultural interaction attended by Vice Admiral (Retired) Laurent Isnard, Deputy Mayor of Toulon, along with French officers and civilian guests. A friendly volleyball match added to the personal contact between sailors of both sides.
Indian Participation: INS Trishul and Its Modernised Profile
The Indian Navy was represented by INS Trishul (F43), a modernised Talwar class guided missile stealth frigate. INS Trishul was built by Baltiysky Zavod in St. Petersburg in Russia, with keel laid on 24 September 1999, launch on 24 November 2000 and commissioning on 25 June 2003. The name Trishul means trident in Sanskrit, the weapon linked with Lord Shiva.
The Talwar class is based on the Russian Project 1135.6 design, derived from the Krivak III family, with stealth shaping to reduce radar signature. The ship displaces about 3,620 tonnes standard and 4,035 tonnes at full load, is 124.8 metres long, and can reach 30 knots with gas turbine propulsion. Endurance is about 30 days with a crew of around 180 personnel, including 18 officers.
INS Trishul carries Shtil-1 medium range surface to air missiles, Klub anti-ship cruise missiles in vertical launch cells, torpedo tubes and an RBU-6000 anti-submarine rocket launcher, along with sonar and electronic warfare systems. After its mid-life refit, the ship replaced its 100 mm gun with an OTO Melara 76 mm Super Rapid Gun Mount paired with a Lynx fire control system, and replaced Kashtan close-in weapon systems with AK-630 guns. The frigate can operate one Ka-28, Ka-31 or HAL Dhruv helicopter, which extends its reach for surveillance and submarine detection. Before reaching France, the ship made a three day port call at Alexandria in Egypt that ended on 17 September and held a passing exercise with the Egyptian Navy.
French Participation and Drills at Sea
The French Navy joined the sea phase with frontline air, surface and sub-surface units. The drills focused on fighting together as one force rather than on ceremonial sailing.
| French Unit | Type and Role |
|---|---|
| FDA Forbin | Horizon class air defence frigate for long range air cover |
| FLF La Fayette | La Fayette class stealth frigate for surface warfare and patrol |
| SNA Suffren | Barracuda class nuclear powered attack submarine for undersea warfare |
| NH90 helicopters | Shipborne helicopters for anti-submarine search and cross-deck landings |
| Atlantique 2 aircraft | Long range maritime patrol aircraft for wide area surveillance |
During the sea phase, INS Trishul worked with Forbin, La Fayette and Suffren in anti-submarine warfare, anti-surface warfare, live firing and cross-deck helicopter landing serials. Anti-submarine warfare means finding and tracking submarines using sonar, helicopters and patrol aircraft. Anti-surface warfare means coordinated moves and simulated strikes against enemy ships. Live firing tested gun and missile procedures under realistic conditions, while helicopters landed on the decks of the other navy’s ships to prove common landing and communication drills. The Indian Navy said these serials improved operational coordination, interoperability and synergy between the two navies.
Recent Edition Recap: Varuna 2025 Off Goa
The 23rd edition of Exercise Varuna was held from 19 to 22 March 2025 off the coast of Goa in the Arabian Sea. The 2025 edition was one of the largest in the series because both sides deployed aircraft carrier strike groups at the same time.
India operated with INS Vikrant, its indigenous aircraft carrier commissioned in 2022, along with destroyer INS Visakhapatnam, frigates, fleet tanker INS Deepak and a Scorpene class (Kalvari class) conventional submarine. France operated with the nuclear powered carrier Charles de Gaulle, air defence frigate, multi-mission frigate and fleet replenishment ship Jacques Chevallier. Fighter drills paired French Rafale-M jets with Indian MiG-29K jets in mock air combat and joint air defence. An E-2C Hawkeye early warning aircraft supported the French side, while Indian P-8I patrol aircraft provided long range surveillance.
The anti-submarine phase used the Indian submarine as the aggressor, while Indian and French frigates protected the high value oiler Jacques Chevallier. Surface warfare moves, replenishment at sea by INS Deepak and Jacques Chevallier, and tactical manoeuvres rounded out the programme. The comparison below places the two latest editions in context.
| Feature | Varuna 2025 (23rd Edition) | Varuna 2026 (24th Edition) |
|---|---|---|
| Venue | Arabian Sea off Goa, India | Mediterranean Sea off Toulon, France |
| Dates | 19 to 22 March 2025 | 22 September onwards in 2026 |
| Indian platform | Carrier INS Vikrant plus escorts | Frigate INS Trishul (F43) |
| French platforms | Carrier Charles de Gaulle plus escorts | Frigates Forbin, La Fayette and submarine Suffren |
| Air element | Rafale-M versus MiG-29K, Hawkeye, P-8I | NH90 helicopters, Atlantique 2 patrol aircraft |
| Focus | Carrier strike, air defence, submarine hunting | Anti-submarine, anti-surface, live firing, cross-deck landings |
India France Joint Exercise System: Garuda, Shakti and Varuna
The Indian armed forces and the French armed forces practise together in all three domains through three separate bilateral exercises. The system gives both sides a shared set of procedures on land, at sea and in the air.
| Exercise Name | Service | Focus Area |
|---|---|---|
| Exercise Varuna | Indian Navy and French Navy | Maritime security, carrier and submarine operations |
| Exercise Garuda | Indian Air Force and French Air and Space Force | Air combat, large force employment, air defence |
| Exercise Shakti | Indian Army and French Army | Counter terrorism in semi-urban terrain, joint tactics |
Garuda Exercise Between Which Countries?
Garuda exercise is conducted between India and France by their air forces. The first Garuda was held in 2003 at Gwalior and later editions alternated between India and France. The seventh edition took place at Jodhpur in 2022 and the eighth edition was hosted in France in November 2025.
The Indian Air Force and the French Air and Space Force use Garuda to practise fighter manoeuvres, air defence and support missions with aircraft such as Su-30MKI, Rafale, Mirage 2000 and force multipliers like refuellers and early warning aircraft. The exercise builds comfort in flying mixed formations, planning joint strikes and handling complex air threats. The latest editions have involved more than 500 air personnel and over 25 aircraft.
Shakti Exercise Between Which Countries?
Shakti exercise is conducted between India and France by their armies. The bilateral army exercise focuses on counter terrorism operations in semi-urban terrain under a United Nations mandate. The seventh edition was held from 13 to 26 May 2024 at Umroi in Meghalaya, India.
The Indian Army and the French Army use Shakti to rehearse room clearing, cordon and search, heliborne moves and joint command planning. The drills improve the ability of infantry units from both countries to operate side by side in built-up areas. Like Varuna and Garuda, Shakti deepens personal trust between officers and soldiers and supports wider defence cooperation.
Strategic Significance of the India France Defence Partnership
The India France strategic partnership was launched on 26 January 1998, the first such partnership India signed with a Western country. Defence and security, civil nuclear cooperation and space were its original pillars. The partnership has since expanded to maritime security, the Indo-Pacific, digital systems, climate action and advanced computing.
Defence remains the strongest link. India operates French aircraft such as the Mirage 2000 and 36 Rafale jets inducted by the Indian Air Force, and has ordered 26 Rafale-M jets for the Navy. Six Scorpene class conventional submarines were built at Mazagon Dock in Mumbai with French technology transfer, with the sixth boat, INS Vaghsheer, dedicated to the nation in January 2025. Annual talks, including the Annual Defence Dialogue at minister level and the High Committee on Defence Cooperation at secretary level, review these projects. The two sides have also agreed to co-develop fighter aircraft engines and helicopter engines with Safran and Hindustan Aeronautics Limited.
Exercise Varuna supports this larger design in direct ways. The drills keep sea lanes safe across the Indian Ocean and Mediterranean Sea, where both countries have trade and energy interests. The drills raise joint warfighting skill through carrier landings, submarine tracking and replenishment practice. The drills signal a shared commitment to a free, open and rules based maritime order in the Indo-Pacific, built on strategic autonomy rather than alliance pressure.
Key Takeaways
- The 24th edition of Exercise Varuna was held at the Toulon Naval Base in France with INS Trishul (F43) representing India.
- Exercise Varuna is the annual bilateral naval exercise between India and France, started in 1983 and named Varuna in 2001.
- INS Trishul is a modernised Talwar class guided missile stealth frigate commissioned on 25 June 2003 with a displacement of 4,035 tonnes at full load.
- The French side deployed frigates Forbin and La Fayette, submarine Suffren, NH90 helicopters and Atlantique 2 patrol aircraft for anti-submarine and live firing drills.
- The complementary India France exercises are Garuda for air forces and Shakti for armies, with Shakti’s 7th edition held at Umroi in May 2024.
- The India France Strategic Partnership began on 26 January 1998 and includes 36 Rafale jets and six Scorpene class submarines built at Mazagon Dock.
