BILATERAL MARITIME EXERCISE VARUNA

Sep 24, 2026

1 min read

VIVEK NALI

INS Trishul arrived at Toulon, France, on 22 Sep 2026 to participate in the 24th edition of the bilateral maritime exercise ‘VARUNA’ between the Indian Navy and the French Navy.
Exercise VARUNA will witness professional engagements in harbour and at sea, including cross-deck visits, operational interactions and sporting engagements.
These engagements will provide opportunities for both Navies to share experiences and Best Practices, enhance interoperability and foster greater mutual understanding.
The visit underscores the strong and enduring maritime partnership between India and France and reflects the expanding scope of maritime cooperation and strengthening ties between the two nations.
Four-Decade Evolution: Initiated in 1983 as bilateral naval interactions and named VARUNA in 2001, the exercise now covers air defence, anti-submarine warfare and surface combat operations.
Harbour and Sea Phases: The Harbour Phase includes operational briefings, expert exchanges and cross-deck visits, while the Sea Phase involves tactical drills, replenishment and coordinated naval manoeuvres.
Advanced Tactical Interoperability: Focuses on strengthening joint communication, air defence and anti-submarine warfare (ASW) capabilities through coordinated operations in complex maritime environments.
Rotational Geographic Scope: Conducted alternately off India and France, including the Indian Ocean, Arabian Sea, Mediterranean and Atlantic, demonstrating long-range naval deployment capabilities.