INS Vikrant Meets French Navy’s Charles de Gaulle Aircraft Carrier in High-Stakes Exercise VARUNA-2025

New Delhi, India – The 23rd edition of the bilateral naval exercise VARUNA, a testament to the enduring maritime partnership between India and France, is set to unfold from 19 to 22 March 2025. Since its inception in 2001, VARUNA has evolved beyond routine military drills into a cornerstone of strategic cooperation, reflecting the two nations' shared commitment to safeguarding maritime stability. Against the backdrop of shifting power dynamics in the Indian Ocean Region (IOR), this year’s exercise promises an adrenaline-charged display of naval prowess, operational synergy, and combat readiness.

At the heart of VARUNA-2025 lies an unparalleled show of force—the joint deployment of India’s INS Vikrant and France’s Charles de Gaulle, two formidable aircraft carriers flanked by an array of fighter jets, destroyers, frigates, and an Indian Scorpene-class submarine. The exercise will encompass air, surface, and sub-surface warfare drills, fine-tuning both Navies’ ability to operate seamlessly in high-intensity maritime combat scenarios.

A High-Stakes Maritime Chessboard

With escalating geopolitical tensions in the Indo-Pacific, the significance of VARUNA cannot be overstated. The exercise will push the limits of naval coordination with a series of advanced drills, including:

• Air Combat Manoeuvres: The Rafale-M from the French carrier will engage in high-speed mock dogfights against the MiG-29K of the Indian Navy, simulating real-world air-to-air combat and bolstering carrier-borne strike capabilities.
• Anti-Submarine Warfare (ASW) Tactics: With China’s expanding underwater footprint, ASW exercises will be a focal point, enhancing both Navies’ ability to detect and neutralize underwater threats. Indian P-8I Poseidon and French ATL2 maritime patrol aircraft will conduct joint anti-submarine operations, integrating sonar tracking and coordinated torpedo launches.
• Surface Warfare Operations: Coordinated missile drills, synchronized formations, and tactical firing scenarios will refine the combat preparedness of both Navies in neutralizing surface threats.
• Logistical & Strategic Coordination: The Replenishment-at-Sea (RAS) exercises will underscore the importance of sustained naval operations, vital in a prolonged maritime conflict scenario.

Beyond military drills, VARUNA serves a larger strategic purpose—deepening India-France naval diplomacy and reinforcing their ability to operate as a formidable joint force in the Indo-Pacific.

Maritime Power Struggles: Key threats shaping India's Naval Strategy

VARUNA-2025 unfolds at a time when the Indian Ocean is fast becoming the epicentre of global strategic competition. The Indian Navy is grappling with multiple challenges, primarily China’s increasing maritime assertiveness, underscored by its "String of Pearls" strategy—a calculated expansion of naval bases and strategic outposts across the IOR. Beijing’s naval modernization, coupled with its military backing of Pakistan’s navy, adds further complexity to India’s maritime calculus.

The presence of Chinese warships, submarines, and surveillance vessels in the IOR has surged in recent years. India’s Mission-Based Deployments (MBDs) have been instrumental in shadowing these movements, but countering China’s deep-sea incursions remains a persistent challenge.

With Beijing fielding an increasing number of nuclear and conventional submarines in the IOR, India’s ASW capabilities need rapid expansion, especially with an acute shortage of submarines and ASW helicopters. Furthermore, the IOR isn’t just a vast maritime theatre—it’s a contested geopolitical arena where piracy, terrorism, illegal fishing, and arms trafficking remain rampant. Ensuring maritime domain awareness and forging deeper naval partnerships are critical to maintaining regional stability.

Resource and Modernization Constraints: While the Indian Navy is undergoing a significant expansion, budgetary limitations and procurement delays continue to strain its ability to modernize at the required pace.

Beyond the Horizon: India-France Maritime Cooperation

France remains one of India's closest strategic partners, with deep-rooted cooperation in defence, space, and nuclear technology. As a littoral state of the Indian Ocean (through its overseas territories like Réunion and Mayotte), France has an inherent interest in regional security. The India-France strategic partnership, anchored in naval collaborations like VARUNA, provides a counterweight to China's ambitions.

With both Paris and New Delhi advocating for a "free, open, and rules-based Indo-Pacific", VARUNA symbolizes more than just military exercises—it’s a calibrated power statement against hegemonic tendencies in the maritime domain.

As the INS Vikrant and Charles de Gaulle sail together, conducting high-stakes operations in the Indian Ocean, one thing is clear—India and France are sending a resounding message of deterrence, preparedness, and unwavering maritime solidarity. The seas, after all, belong to those who can defend them.