'Very grateful': French envoy thanks India for shipping COVID vaccines to fight pandemic

French Ambassor to India Emmanuel Lenain thanked India for supplying medicines to France at time of pandemic. During ongoing India-France bilateral exercise "Desert Knight 21", Lenain said, “During COVID-19, you (India) shipped medicines needed in French hospitals. We are very grateful for that again... Very clear statements were released by your government and Prime Minister (Narendra Modi) when our values like secularism were under attack in my country”. air exercises are going on at Air Force Station Jodhpur, from January 20 to 24.

He also spoke about bilateral ties as he said, “India and France have been side-by-side in both good and b times. When India decided to conduct a nuclear test in Pokhran, we were on your side as we understand your strategic automy”.

joint drills, which are a part of Desert Knight 21, mark a significant milestone in series of engments between two air forces.

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Desert Knight 21

As part of Indo-French defense cooperation, Indian Air Force and French Air and Force held six editions of military exercises named "Garuda" at Air Force Base Mont-de-Marsan in France. two forces have been using opportunities to conduct "hop-exercises" in order to furr existing cooperation. India h hosted French Air Force deployment at air force stations in Agra and Gwalior for exercise while ferrying to Australia for Ex Pitchblack in 2018. French forces for Ex Desert Knight-21 are deployed in Asia as part of ir "Skyros Deployment" and have ferried in forces to Air Force Station Jodhpur.

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In a boost to its strike capability, IAF received first batch of five Rafale jets in July last year, nearly four years after government inked an agreement with France to procure 36 of aircraft at a cost of Rs 59,000 crore. second batch of three Rafale fighter jets joined IAF in vember. Rafale jets, manufactured by French aero major Dassault Aviation, are India's first major acquisition of fighter planes in 23 years after Sukhoi jets were imported from Russia. newly inducted fleet has been carrying out sorties in eastern Lakh.

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(Im Credits: AP)