The Indian Navy’s stealth frigate INS Trishul arrived at Toulon, France on September 22, 2026, to take part in the 24th edition of Exercise Varuna, the bilateral maritime exercise between the Indian and French navies.
Exercise Varuna will feature a mix of harbour and at-sea engagements, including cross-deck visits, operational interactions, and sporting fixtures between the two navies. These activities are designed to let both sides exchange experience and best practices, sharpen interoperability, and build deeper mutual understanding between their forces. Officials have framed the visit as underscoring the strength of the India-France maritime partnership and the expanding scope of cooperation between the two countries.
A three-decade-old partnership
Exercise Varuna has a long history as one of the Indian Navy’s most institutionalised bilateral engagements. Naval cooperation between India and France began in 1993, and the exercise itself was formally christened “Varuna” — named after the Hindu god of the oceans — in 2001. Over more than two decades, it has grown from modest beginnings into a comprehensive exercise involving guided-missile destroyers, frigates, submarines, maritime patrol aircraft, fighter jets, and helicopters from both sides.
Past editions have alternated between Indian and French waters and have grown steadily in complexity. The 21st edition in January 2023, for instance, saw India field the destroyer INS Chennai, frigate INS Teg, P-8I and Dornier patrol aircraft, and MiG-29K fighters, while France brought its aircraft carrier Charles de Gaulle along with escort frigates and support vessels for five days of advanced air defence drills, tactical manoeuvres, and live firings. Toulon itself has hosted Indian naval visits before — INS Trishul was there as part of a task group in 2017 as well, alongside INS Mumbai and INS Aditya, ahead of that year’s edition of the exercise.
Editions of Varuna have consistently been used by both navies to signal shared commitment to maritime security and freedom of navigation, particularly across the Indian Ocean and Mediterranean regions where both countries have strategic interests. This year’s edition continues that pattern, with INS Trishul’s Toulon port call functioning as the lead-in to the sea and harbour phases of the exercise that will follow in the days ahead.
