French Navy ships Assault helicopter carrier Tonnerre and Surcouf frigate at Kochi port ahead of France-led La Pérouse joint exercise with QUAD members (ANI Photo)
NEW DELHI: India and the three other Quad countries kicked off a major naval exercise with France in the Bay of Bengal on Monday, underlining the growing strategic congruence in ensuring a secure and stable Indo-Pacific in face of China’s belligerence in the region.
India deployed its advanced stealth frigate INS Satpura and anti-submarine warfare corvette INS Kiltan, along with P-8I long range maritime patrol aircraft, for the three-day “La Pérouse” exercise led by France.