• India will deploy four Rafale jets, two C-17 aircraft and two IL-78 mid-air refuellers to participate in Exercise Orion at Mont-de-Marsan military base of the French Air and Space Force (FASF).

• The multinational air exercise will be conducted from April 17 to May 5.

• It will be the first overseas exercise for the Indian Air Force’s Rafale jets.

• Besides the IAF and the French Air and Space Force (FASF), the exercise will be participated by air forces from Germany, Greece, Italy, the Netherlands, the United Kingdom, Spain and the United States.

• Participation in this exercise would further enrich the employment philosophy of the India Air Force, by imbibing the best practices from other Air Forces.

• Last month, maiden joint military exercise — FRINJEX-23 — between Indian Army and French Army was conducted at Pangode Military Station, Thiruvananthapuram.

Other exercises with France:

• Varuna - bilateral naval exercise between Indian Navy and French Navy.

• Garuda - Bilateral exercise between Indian Air Force (IAF) and French Air and Space Force (FASF).

• Shakti - Bilateral exercise between the armies of India and France.

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