Indo-French joint military exercise SHAKTI-VIII underway in southern France
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)
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Time of India
22 minutes ago
- Time of India
BJP women wing holds mock Parl on 50 years of Emergency
1 2 Kanpur: The Bharatiya Janata Party's women's wing in the Kanpur region organised a grand mock Parliament event at the Kanpur University auditorium. The programme began with the lighting of a lamp by the chief guest, Rajya Sabha MP Rekha Sharma, regional president Prakash Pal, minister Rajni Tiwari, and legislator Pratibha Shukla. On this occasion, a special exhibition based on the Emergency was also inaugurated by Rekha Sharma and Prakash Pal. Addressing the inaugural session, they said that on June 25, 1975, the then Prime Minister Indira Gandhi undermined the Constitution, crippling all major democratic institutions--the legislature, executive, judiciary, and the media. Thousands of opposition leaders were imprisoned under MISA and DIR, and censorship was forcibly imposed on the media. They emphasised the need for women to understand this history and question the moral grounds of those who cite the Constitution today. Prakash Pal questioned whether the Congress still justifies the Emergency or acknowledges it as a violation of the Constitution. As 50 years have passed, the public deserves to know whether Congress leaders will apologise if the Emergency was wrong or explain the rationale behind its imposition. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Ai probleme cu picioarele umflate vara? Acești pantofi sunt soluția! Cumpără acum Undo The first session of the mock parliament commenced, with legislator Pratibha Shukla, acting as the prime minister, presenting a proposal stating, "The Emergency was the darkest chapter in Indian democracy and requires serious discussion in the House. " The entire assembly supported the proposal by voice vote. In the role of the opposition leader, Women's Commission member Poonam Dwivedi argued that the Emergency was imposed under Article 352, but political motives were predominant. She questioned the decision's legitimacy and criticised the ruling party sharply. Both sessions of the mock parliament saw intense debates between the ruling and opposition sides. The ruling side included Uttar Pradesh minister Rajni Tiwari, legislators Om Mani Verma, district council president Swapnil Varun, legislators Manisha Anuragi, Poonam Sankhwar, former state vice-president of the women's wing Ranjana Upadhyay, Farrukhabad district council president Monika Yadav, block heads Vijay Ratna Tomar, and Anuradha Awasthi, among others. On the opposition side, Women's Commission members effectively presented their arguments and questioned the ruling party's policies. Throughout the sessions, there were several disruptions, which were managed with restraint and firmness by mayor Pramila Pandey, acting as the speaker in the first session, and legislator Neelima Katiyar in the second session. At one point, the proceedings were adjourned.
NDTV
26 minutes ago
- NDTV
Mizoram May Seize IDs Of Refugees Who Often Cross Border To And From Myanmar
Aizawl: The Mizoram government is considering confiscating the identity cards of Myanmar refugees who repeatedly cross the international border to and from the neighbouring country, an official said on Friday. During a meeting with Ministry of External Affairs Joint Secretary Surinder Bhagat in Aizawl on Thursday, Chief Minister Lalduhoma told him that there are many refugees, who are obedient and follow the laws, while some of them are "repeatedly crossing the border to go to Myanmar and come back to Mizoram taking advantage of the crisis in the neighbouring country". The chief minister said that these refugees often violate the country's laws, and the state government would take stringent action against them, according to the official. "The Mizoram government will take stern action against those refugees who misbehave and often violate the laws. We have been thinking of seizing Myanmar IDs from those refugees, who repeatedly cross the international border during their stay in Mizoram," the official quoted Lalduhoma as saying. The chief minister also briefed Bhagat about the state government's plan to collect biometric details of Myanmar refugees taking shelter in Mizoram. The state government is likely to begin biometric enrolment of Myanmar refugees in July, another official said. Lalduhoma had also informed Bhagat, who is also the Protector General of Emigrants, about the issue of "illegal overseas recruitment by some placement agencies in the state". He had said that the licences of such agencies have been cancelled by the state government for illegally sending youths for overseas employment. Lalduhoma had also stressed the need for obtaining prosecution sanction orders from the Protector General of Emigrants (PGE) against those fraudulent placement agencies. PGE under the Ministry of External Affairs is the authority responsible for protecting the interests of Indian workers going abroad. Bhagat urged people to exercise caution while seeking jobs abroad.
Time of India
33 minutes ago
- Time of India
‘Only one to focus on New York': Republicans laud NYC mayoral candidate Zohran Mamdani; contrasts earlier criticism
Marjorie Taylor Greene (left), Zohran Mamdani (ANI,AP) In a surprising departure from usual partisan rhetoric, prominent Republican figures, including Congresswoman Marjorie Taylor Greene and political commentator Tucker Carlson, have extended rare praise to New York City Democratic mayoral candidate Zohran Mamdani, acknowledging his grassroots-focused campaign strategy, even as they continue to oppose his political ideology. Mamdani, a Muslim and Indian-American assemblyman,pulled a surprise victory in the Democratic primary this week, defeating former New York governor Andrew Cuomo. Carlson, on his show, lauded Mamdani's debate performance for staying focused on New York's local issues while other candidates discussed foreign policy. 'That guy was the only person in the New York City mayor's debate to say he wanted to focus on New York City. They were, all the candidates were asked if you could visit a foreign country, what would it be? And they all, of course, all had an answer. I think most said Israel,' Carlson said during the Friday episode of 'The Tucker Carlson Show.' Carlson remarked Mamdani was the only one to say he wouldn't travel abroad, he'd stay in New York and connect with constituents directly. The former Fox News host added about Mamdani's performance in the mayoral debate earlier this month, 'and he said, 'I wouldn't go anywhere. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like 5 Books Warren Buffett Wants You to Read In 2025 Blinkist: Warren Buffett's Reading List Undo I'd stay in New York. And like, if I want to meet Jewish constituents, I go to their synagogues, their homes or whatever, but I'd be here in New York because that's what I'm doing. I'm running New York. That's my job,' adding, 'I totally oppose his program, but at least he's talking about economics and not just foreign affairs. ' Greene, who had earlier shared a doctored image of the Statue of Liberty in a burqa in response to Mamdani's rise, has since revised her stance. Speaking on Steve Bannon's podcast, she said, 'He really ran a campaign where he talked directly to the people… Even though his solutions are insane and socialist, he focused on their problems.' She also took a swipe at Cuomo, labelling him a 'dirty establishment Democrat' and praised Mamdani for offering 'unique and smart' outreach. Both Greene and Carlson have recently criticised the administration's handling of the Israel-Iran conflict, exposing growing rifts within the MAGA movement, between those who favour strong support for Israel and others who fear the US could be drawn into a broader war. Despite the acknowledgment, hostility remains strong in Republican circles. The New York Young Republican Club called for Mamdani's deportation under the Communist Control Act, while representative. Andy Ogles branded him 'antisemitic' and called for denaturalization proceedings. President Trump, writing on Truth Social, referred to Mamdani as a '100% Communist Lunatic,' adding, 'He looks terrible… and he's backed by AOC+3 and Cryin' Chuck Schumer.' Mamdani has responded positively to criticism from Republican lawmakers and even the president, who labeled him a '100% Communist Lunatic' due to his policy agenda. 'You know, this is not the first time that President Trump is going to comment on myself, and I encourage him, just like I encourage every New Yorker, to learn about my actual policies to make the city affordable,' Mamdani told ABC News's Rachel Scott in an interview Wednesday. Mamdani's campaign, which includes proposals such as free buses and rent freezes, continues to draw criticism from conservatives. Still, the recognition of his campaign tactics from unlikely quarters underscores a rare moment of bipartisan acknowledgment in an otherwise divided political landscape.
