La Perouse and Varuna

Why in news?

• Indian Navy Ship is participating, for the first time in La Pérouse, a multilateral maritime exercise being conducted in the Eastern Indian Ocean Region from 5th to 7th April 2021.
• After La Perouse, the Indo-French Naval exercise “Varuna“ will be conducted in the Western Indian Ocean.

About La Perouse:

• It is a three-day multi-lateral maritime exercise led by the French Navy.
• This year it involves the French Navy, Indian Navy, Royal Australian Navy (RAN), Japan Maritime Self Defence Force (JMSDF) and United States Navy (USN).
• The naval exercise is being seen as a warning to China which has been expanding its engagements in the Indian Ocean region.

Varuna exercise:

• Varuna is an annually held naval exercise and consists of naval cooperation drills between the French Navy and the Indian Navy.
• The joint-exercises are held either in the Indian Ocean or Mediterranean Sea with the aim of improving Indo-French coordination on various naval capabilities.
• This year it will be a Trilateral exercise with India and the UAE in the western Indian Ocean.

Prelims Question

Exercise Varuna is a military exercise between Indian Navy and:
(a)French navy  
(b)Russian Navy
(c)US Navy
(d)Australian Navy

Answer to the Prelims Question