“10 countries includingUS, France and Saudi Arabia are scheduled to take part in exercise.
New Delhi:
Amid growing ties between India and the Arab world, six Indian Air Force (IAF) Su-30-MKI fighters will take off for the United Arab Emirates (UAE) on Wednesday to participate in the multinational exercise “Desert Flag”.
The exercise comes soon after the Indian Rafale jets were provided mid air refuelling support by the Emirate’s Air Force tankers while they were coming to India from France.
“Six IAF Su-30-MKI fighters will take off for UAE on March 3 to participate in multinational exercise Desert Flag to be held there for three weeks,” IAF officials told ANI.
“10 countries including the US, France and Saudi Arabia are scheduled to take part in the exercise. IAF”s two C-17s will join Indian team for the exercise to help them induct and deinduct from there,” IAF officials added.
The IAF had recently carried out an exercise codenamed “Desert Knight 2021” with France over Jodhpur involving their and own Rafale fighter jets.
The ties between India and Arab world including the UAE are on a growth trajectory as recently Army chief General Manoj Mukund Naravane had visited Saudi Arabia and the UAE recently to strengthen military to military ties.