What happened?
The eighth edition of Exercise Shakti, a joint Indo-French military training programme, concluded on 2 July 2025 at Camp Larzac in France. The two-week exercise featured over 90 Indian soldiers from the Jammu and Kashmir Rifles and troops from the French Army’s 13th Foreign Legion Demi-Brigade. The training included combat shooting, urban warfare, electronic warfare integration, and a 96-hour multi-domain field drill.
Why it matters to India
Exercise Shakti reinforces operational coordination and military interoperability between India and France, two key strategic partners. The joint drills enhance India’s capabilities in sub-conventional warfare and counter-terror operations. As both countries prioritise Indo-Pacific security and counter-terrorism, such bilateral exercises deepen defence ties and signal India’s growing defence diplomacy footprint in Europe. The collaboration also complements broader technology transfers and joint development efforts in the defence sector.