Northeast Desk, 13th May: The 7th edition of the India-France Joint Military Exercise SHAKTI commenced at Umroi, Meghalaya, on May 13, marking the beginning of two weeks of intensive training in a fully developed Foreign Training Node.
The opening ceremony of Exercise SHAKTI saw the presence of H E Thierry Mathou, Ambassador of France to India, and Major General Prasanna Sudhakar Joshi, General Officer Commanding 51 Sub Area, among other dignitaries.
Exercise SHAKTI, conducted biennially alternately in India and France, aims to bolster joint military capabilities and enhance readiness for multi-domain operations under Chapter VII of the United Nations Mandate. The exercise will primarily focus on operations in semi-urban and mountainous terrain.
The Indian contingent, comprising 90 personnel primarily from the RAJPUT Regiment, along with representatives from other arms and services, will be joined by observers from the Indian Navy and the Indian Air Force. The French contingent, also numbering 90 personnel, will be represented mainly by personnel from the 13th Foreign Legion Half-Brigade (13th DBLE).
During Exercise SHAKTI, tactical drills will cover a wide range of scenarios, including response to terrorist actions, establishment of joint command posts, intelligence and surveillance operations, securing helipads, small team insertion and extraction, special heliborne operations, cordon and search operations, and the deployment of drones and counter-drone systems.
The exercise aims to facilitate the sharing of best practices in tactics, techniques, and procedures for joint operations, fostering inter-operability, camaraderie, and mutual understanding between the armed forces of India and France. It is expected to further strengthen defence cooperation and bilateral relations between the two friendly nations.
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