Rafales, Sukhois Take Off Near Karachi: India, France And UAE Begin Major Air Drill – Why Shehbaz, Munir Are Losing Sleep | World News

New Delhi: India’s security establishment has long been wary of Pakistan, a neighbor whose actions rarely inspire trust. The results of Operation Sindoor further intensified this feeling. Pakistan’s defeat in this incident has left its leadership anxious and unpredictable, and India believes it cannot take any chances in terms of military preparedness.

Against this backdrop, India has taken some of its most capable aircraft to the skies near the Karachi coastline. The Indian Air Force (IAF) has fielded Su-30MKI and Jaguar fighter jets for a high-scale trilateral air exercise with France and UAE from Wednesday, December 10.

The joint exercise is being conducted over the Arabian Sea with the aim of deepening defense coordination between the three countries and strengthening interoperability across the Indian Ocean region and the Indo-Pacific.

India has deployed a strong team for the exercise. In addition to frontline combat aircraft, the IL-78 also operates aerial refueling aircraft and AEW&CS (Airborne Early Warning and Control) platforms. All of India’s assets operate from Jamnagar and Naliya air bases in Gujarat.

France and UAE Bring Rafales and Mirages

The air exercise includes intense combat maneuvers and tactical missions. France and the UAE sent Rafale and Mirage fighter jets along with support aircraft from Al Dhafra Air Base. India has already issued NOTAM (Notice to Airmen) for the designated exercise area.

According to a report published in The Times of India, the selected site is located approximately 200 nautical miles off the coast of Karachi, Pakistan.

The drills will continue on December 11. The three countries last conducted a similar exercise, Desert Knight, in December 2024. This is the second time the trio has teamed up to demonstrate coordinated air combat capabilities.

Why Is This Exercise Important?

India is constantly increasing its military cooperation with regional countries, especially the Gulf countries. France, the United States and Australia are also important partners in this expanding network.

A senior official told TOI that bilateral, trilateral and multilateral exercises enable forces to hone their combat skills, tactics and procedures in real operational environments.

Increased coordination is not limited to air power. In June 2023, the navies of India, France and the UAE conducted the first trilateral naval exercise focused on a series of missions designed to counter both conventional and irregular threats at sea.

This tripartite engagement is part of a broader initiative launched in 2022 by the foreign ministers of all three countries. It aims to deepen cooperation in defence, technology, energy, environment and many other areas of common interest.