Indian Air Force (IAF) and French Air and Space Force will conduct a bilateral Air exercise, Ex Desert Knight-21 at Air Force Station Jodhpur from 20 to 24th Jan 2021.
Important Point
Ex Desert Knight-21
The exercise is unique as it includes fielding of Rafale aircraft by both sides and is indicative of the growing interaction between the two premiers Air Forces.
Presently, the French detachment for Ex Desert Knight-21 is deployed in Asia as part of their 'SKYROS Deployment'.
Rafale fighter jets of India and France are carrying out wargames codenamed Exercise SKYROS.
Beginning September 2020, the IAF has inducted and operationalized eight Rafale fighter jets of the 36 jets contracted from France in a 7.87-billion euro deal in 2016.