Garuda a ‘milestone’ in India-French defence cooperation

NEW DELHI - A 12-day joint aerial exercise between the Indian, French and Singaporean air forces, currently underway at the Istres Air Base in the South of France and which has brought together the world’s best combat jets like the the Sukhoi SU-30MKI, the F-16, the Rafale and the Mirage, entered its final phase Wednesday.

Exercise Garuda-2010, which began June 13, is a “milestone in the India-French defence cooperation”, an Indian Air Force (IAF) statement issued here quoted Air Commodore S.K Ghotia, air attaché at the Indian embassy in France, as saying.

“This has been the widest scope ever accomplished between the two nations,” added Ghotia, also the chief coordinator of the exercise.

During the exercise, the three air forces have engaged in a variety of missions ranging from close combat, engagement of large forces, slow mover protection and protecting and engaging high value aerial assets.

“Over 60 missions have been successfully flown,” an IAF spokesperson said.

The IAF’s SU-30s took part in the high value airborne asset protection and protection busting missions.

The IL-78 refuellers of the IAF and their KC-135 counterparts of the French Air Force also participated in various missions carrying out refuelling of the fighters. Refuelling denials were also practised, making these missions more difficult.

The SU-30s were subjected to the “swing roles” where the same aircraft simultaneously performs offensive as well as defensive roles, the spokesperson said.

The E-3 AWACS (Airborne Warning and Control System) provided radar coverage during the exercise.

“Our participation in the exercise has reinforced the manner in which we conduct our operations. It has also helped us refine our doctrine,” said Air Marshal K.K. Nohwar of the IAF who visited the Indian contingent in France.

There was a slim chance for any country to operate in isolation “especially in a co-operative defence scenario”, added Nohwar, the air officer commanding-in-chief of the Shillong-based Eastern Air Command.

“Knowing each other’s best practices in terms of tactics, techniques and procedures is the main objective of this exercise, which is also a part of the on-going Indo-French defence cooperation,” he said.

The IAF spokesperson said Indian pilots who participated in the exercise “gained tremendous learning experience”.

“The engineers, technicians and all other members of the team have also benefitted substantially.”

The IAF contingent is expected to return by July 3, 2010.