Context:
At Mont-de-Marsan, an air force base of the French Air and Space Force (FASF), France will conduct a multinational exercise with Indian Rafale combat aircraft under the codename Orion.
Are you aware?
- The French Air Force and the Indian Air Force participated in a wargame at Jodhpur under the codename Desert Knight, in which the Indian Air Force had previously taken part.
- At the Air Force Stations in Arjan Singh (Panagarh), Kalaikunda, and Agra, the Indian Air Force (IAF) and the United States Air Force (USAF) are participating in a bilateral air exercise called Exercise Cope India 23.
Operation Orion
- About: The French government is hosting a global exercise.
- The ongoing confrontation between Russia and Ukraine, in which NATO, led by the US, is obstructing Russian actions against Ukraine, serves as the backdrop for this exercise.
- The French Army, Navy, and Air Force participated in what is apparently the largest multinational exercise in the country’s history.
- The Rafale aircraft of the IAF would participate in Exercise Orion for the first time abroad.
- Many of France’s NATO members as well as other significant allies, including Germany, Greece, Italy, the Netherlands, the United Kingdom, Spain, and the United States of America, participate in this.
Significance
- It draws attention to India’s rising stature in the world and its tight ties to important allies like France.
- By taking part in international wargames, Indian troops are able to develop their skills and improve communication between their forces and those of other countries.
- By absorbing the finest practices from other air forces, participation in this exercise would further enhance the employment philosophy of the Indian Air Force.