India, France, and the United Arab Emirates (UAE) are set to commence a significant air combat exercise over the Arabian Sea today, December 10, 2025. This trilateral exercise aims to enhance defense cooperation and improve military interoperability among the participating nations in the Indian Ocean region and the broader Indo-Pacific.
The Indian Air Force (IAF) will deploy key combat platforms, including Jaguar deep-strike aircraft and Su-30 air-dominance fighters. These will be supported by IL-78 mid-air refuelers and Airborne Early Warning and Control (AEW&C) aircraft. The IAF will operate from airbases like Jamnagar and Naliya in Gujarat. France and the UAE will contribute Rafale and Mirage fighters, along with other aircraft, from the Al Dhafra airbase.
The exercise will be conducted over the Arabian Sea, with the designated zone approximately 200 nautical miles from Karachi. The area has been marked with a Notice to Airmen (NOTAM). The exercise zone will extend to roughly 70 nautical miles from Pakistan-controlled airspace, highlighting the strategic sensitivity of the location.
The initiative aims to strengthen mutual understanding, coordination, and operational synergy in high-pressure combat situations, fostering tactical collaboration among the participants. It focuses on advanced air-combat maneuvers, maritime strike profiles, and joint operational coordination. This exercise underscores the growing defense cooperation between India and its global allies, showcasing its ability to operate alongside advanced air forces such as those of France and the UAE.
Such trilateral exercises are part of broader efforts to strengthen defense ties in strategically crucial regions, including the Indo-Pacific and the Persian Gulf. They highlight the increasing focus on interoperability among like-minded nations, especially amidst concerns about China's growing influence.
A similar trilateral air exercise, "Desert Knight," involving India, France, and the UAE, took place in December 2024 over the Arabian Sea. That exercise involved India's Su-30MKI and Jaguar jets, France's Rafale fighters, and the UAE's F-16 aircraft, and included complex aerial maneuvers and mission scenarios. The "Desert Knight" exercise built upon a trilateral framework established in 2022 by the foreign ministers of India, France, and the UAE, which included collaboration in defense, technology, energy, and environment.
