About The 7th edition

●Indian contingent comprising 90 personnel is being represented primarily by a Battalion of the RAJPUT Regiment besides personnel from other arms and services.

●Observers from the Indian Navy and the Indian Air Force will also form part of the exercise.

●The French contingent comprising 90 personnel will be represented mainly by personnel from the 13th Foreign Legion Half- Brigade (13th DBLE).

●The joint exercise will focus on operations in the semi-urban and mountainous terrain.

●Tactical drills will include response to a terrorist action of capturing a defined territory, establishment of a Joint Command Post, establishment of an Intelligence & Surveillance Centre, securing of a helipad/ landing site, Small Team Insertion & Extraction, Special Heliborne Operations, Cordon & Search Operations besides employment of drones and counter drone systems among others.

Exercise SHAKTI

It is a biennial training event conducted alternatively in India and France. Last edition was conducted in France in November 2021.

Aim:

●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.

Significance:

●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 inter-operability 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.

PRACTICE QUESTION

Q) Assess the evolving dynamics of defense cooperation between India and France, considering strategic partnerships, technological collaborations, and geopolitical implications..(250 words)