La Cavalerie [France], June 28 (ANI): The Indo-French Joint Military Exercise SHAKTI-VIII continues to strengthen operational interoperability and mutual cooperation between the Indian and French Armies.

Held at Camp Larzac, La Cavalerie in Southern France, the exercise features the participation of 90 personnel, primarily from the Indian Army's Jammu and Kashmir Rifles battalion, alongside the French Army's 13e Demi-Brigade de Legion Etrangre.

These 90 personnel from the Indian Army contingent had departed for France on Monday to participate in the eighth edition of Exercise 'Shakti', scheduled to take place in La Cavalerie from 18 June to 01 July 2025.

In an official statement, the Army said, 'The Indian Army contingent has departed today for France to participate in the 8th edition of Exercise Shakti, taking place in La Cavalerie, France, from 18 June to 01 July 2025. The Exercise will foster synergy and interoperability in the conduct of counter terrorism operations in semi-urban terrain.'

Exercise Shakti is an annual military training engagement conducted alternately in India and France.

Last year, the seventh edition of Exercise Shakti was conducted at Umroi in Meghalaya from 13 to 26 May 2024. It was held at a 'fully developed and modern Foreign Training Node'. Underlining the diplomatic and military importance of the event, the Ministry of Defence in an official statement said, 'The Opening Ceremony of the joint exercise was attended by Thierry Mathou, Ambassador of France to India and Major General Prasanna Sudhakar Joshi, General Officer Commanding 51 Sub Area.

The Indian contingent for the 2024 edition comprised 90 personnel, mainly from a Battalion of the Rajput Regiment, with additional participation from other arms and services. Observers from the Indian Navy and the Indian Air Force were also part of the exercise. The French contingent, also consisting of 90 personnel, was represented mainly by soldiers from the 13th Foreign Legion Half-Brigade (13th DBLE), the MoD statement added.

Outlining the broader aim of the exercise, the Ministry said,' Aim of Exercise SHAKTI is to enhance joint military capability of both sides to undertake multi-domain operations in a sub-conventional scenario under Chapter VII of the United Nations Mandate. The joint exercise will focus on operations in the semi-urban and mountainous terrain.'

'Objectives to be achieved from the joint training are a high degree of physical fitness, rehearsing and refining drills for operations at the tactical level and sharing of best practices,' the MoD added.

Key tactical elements to be practised during the joint exercise include responses to terrorist actions involving the capture of defined territory, setting up of a Joint Command Post and an Intelligence & Surveillance Centre, and securing of landing sites. The exercise will also feature Small Team Insertion and Extraction drills, Special Heliborne Operations, Cordon and Search Operations, as well as the deployment of drones and counter-drone systems.

The Ministry added: 'Exercise SHAKTI will enable the two sides to share their best practices in Tactics, Techniques and Procedures of conducting joint operations. The joint exercise will facilitate developing interoperability, bonhomie and camaraderie between armed forces personnel of the two countries. This will also enhance the level of defence cooperation, further fostering bilateral relations between the two friendly nations.' (ANI)