Exercise Garuda

Status	Active
Genre	Military exercise
Frequency	Variable
Country	India, France
Years active	22
Established	2003 (2003)
Previous event	2022 (26 October – 12 November)
Participants	Indian Air Force & French Air and Space Force

Exercise Garuda is a bilateral air force exercise between the Indian Air Force and the French Air and Space Force. The first edition of the exercise was held in 2003 at Gwalior AFS. The debut exercise was witnessed by Chief of Staff of the FASF. As of 2024, seven editions of the exercise were held alternatively in India and France air space. ^[1]

List of Garuda exercises

Edition	Year	Location	Dates	IAF units	FASF units	Notes	Reference
Garuda I	2003	Gwalior AFS, India					[2]
Garuda II	2005	Istres Air Base, France					[1]
Garuda III	2007	Kalaikunda AFS, India	13 - 25 February	Su-30MKI Mirage 2000 MiG-27	Mirage 2000-5 M-2000D E-3F Sentry		[3]
Garuda IV	2010	Istres Air Base, France	14 - 25 June	6 Su-30MKI 3 Il-78MKI 1 Il-76	Mirage 2000-5 Rafale E-3 Sentry KC-135 Stratotanker	Singapore Air Force participated in the exercise with F-16 Fighting Falcon. Included para jumps by Garud and French Special Forces from Il-76.	[4] [5] [6]
Garuda V	2014	Jodhpur AFS, India	2 - 13 June	4 Su-30MKI 4 MiG-27 4 MiG-21 1 Il-78MKI 1 A-50EI	4 Rafale 1 KC-135 Stratotanker		[7] [8] [1]
Garuda VI	2019	Mont-de-Marsan, France	1 - 12 July	Su-30MKI Rafale Il-78MKI C-17 Globemaster III			[9]
Garuda VII	2022	Jodhpur AFS, India	26 October – 12 November	Su-30MKI Rafale Tejas Jaguar Prachand Mi-17 Il-78MKI Netra AEW&CS	4 Rafale 1 Airbus A330 MRTT		[10] [2]
Garuda VIII	2025	Mont-de-Marsan Air Base, France	16 – 27 November	6 Su-30MKI 3 C-17 Globemaster III 1 Il-78MKI	10 Rafales 6 Mirage 2000s 1 H225M 1 A330 MRTT 1 Airbus A400M Atlas	The Indian contingent had reached France on 10 November. The exercise involves over 500 airmen and 25 aircraft.	[11] [12] [13]

Gallery

• 
  IAF Su-30 MKI, French Rafale and IAF Tejas at Exercise Garuda
• 
  IAF Su-30MKI refuelling from a French C-135F
• 
  An IL-78 MKI during Exercise Garuda 2019
• 
  An Indo-French formation (including IAF Su-30 MKI, French Rafale, IAF Tejas) led by Rafale over Thar Desert during Garuda VII 2022.
• 
  HAL Tejas during the exercise in 2022

See also

• List of exercises of the Indian Air Force
• Exercise Red Flag
• Red Flag – Alaska
• Cope India
• Indradhanush (Air Force Exercise)
• Exercise Tarang Shakti
• Exercise Pitch Black

References

1. "Exercise Garuda V – Strengthening strategic partnership". www.spsmai.com. Retrieved 2024-08-03.
2. "Garuda VII". Drishti IAS. Retrieved 2024-08-02.
3. "Indo-French joint air exercise Garuda-III begins". Press Information Bureau. 2007-02-13. Retrieved 2024-08-03.
4. "Exercise 'GARUDA' begins". Press Information Bureau. 2010-07-14. Retrieved 2024-08-03.
5. "Exercise Garuda Enters Final Phase, Su-30MKIs Swing Roled!". Livefistdefence. 2010-06-23. Retrieved 2025-11-15.
6. "IAF conducts joint exercises with French, Singapore air forces". The Hindu. 2010-06-25. ISSN   0971-751X . Retrieved 2025-11-15.
7. "Indo-French Air Exercise "Garuda V"". La France en Inde / France in India. Retrieved 2017-11-01.
8. "Air Exercise Between Indian Air Force and French Air Force (Exercise Garuda V) Commences at Jodhpur". pib.nic.in. Archived from the original on November 7, 2017. Retrieved 2017-11-01.
9. "Culmination of Exercise Garuda-VI". Press Information Bureau. 2019-07-19. Retrieved 2024-08-03.
10. "EXERCISE GARUDA - VII AT AIR FORCE STATION JODHPUR". Press Information Bureau. 2022-10-28. Retrieved 2024-08-03.
11. "Exercise Garuda 25: Indian Air Force participates in the 8th edition of bilateral air exercise with French Air and Space Force" (Press release). Press Information Bureau. 2025-11-15. Retrieved 2025-11-20.
12. "Garuda 2025 Exercise" (Press release). French Embassy in India. 2025-11-12. Retrieved 2025-11-20.
13. Sharma, Shivani (2025-11-15). "Air Force joins France for Garuda 25 exercise, deploys Sukhoi fighter jets". India Today. Retrieved 2025-11-20.