The Indian Navy Marching Contingent arrived in France on Friday (July 7) as part of the Tri-services contingent to participate in the Bastille Day Parade, which will take place in Paris on July 14. During the parade, the Navy team, made up of four officers and 64 sailors, will show off their marching skills. The contingent will be led by Commander Vrat Baghel, a gunnery and missile warfare specialist who previously sailed on the French ship BCR Var during Exercise Varuna. Lieutenant Commander Disha Amrith, Lieutenant Commander Rajat Tripathi, and Lieutenant Commander Jittin Lalitha Dharmaraj will be his deputies.
In addition to the marching contingent, the Indian Navy will be represented by INS Chennai, a guided missile destroyer designed and built in India. From July 12 to July 16, INS Chennai will be deployed to France, where its crew will take part in the Bastille Day celebrations in Brest, France, the Navy said in an official statement.
The Indo-French Strategic Partnership is also celebrating its 25th anniversary this year. The two countries have deep maritime ties, and their navies have a close relationship. Mazagon Dock Shipbuilders Limited’s indigenous construction of Project 75 Scorpene class submarines in collaboration with Naval Group, France, has not only strengthened naval capabilities but also paved the way for future programmes, the Navy said.
The bilateral drill Varuna, which began in 1993 and was given its current name in 2001, has grown into a complex exercise that encompasses all aspects of naval power. “It reflects the strengthening of India’s strategic bilateral relationship with France. Varuna’s 21st edition was recently held in the Arabian Sea in January, demonstrating the synergy and cooperation between the two navies,” the statement read.
The Indian Navy is regarded as one of the world’s largest navies, with a formidable fleet of ships, submarines, and aircraft, the statement said. India’s shipbuilding prowess has greatly aided the modernisation and expansion of the Indian Navy. The country’s shipyards can build a variety of vessels, and it is a source of great pride that India is one of the few countries that operates its own aircraft carriers, destroyers, frigates, and nuclear submarines. INS Chennai is at the forefront of indigenous technology, according to the statement.
