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Kochi (Kerala) [India], April 2 (ANI): While the French Navy is all set to lead 'La Perouse' Navy exercise where four nations - India, the US, Australia and Japan - are taking part, Rear Admiral Jacques Fayard has said that French Navy see Indian Navy as global security provider of Indo-Pacific region.
"We see Indian Navy as a global security provider of this strategic region," he told ANI.
Stressing that the Indo-Pacific is now a reality, the Rear Admiral further stated that his forces deployed in the Indian Ocean are part of the will of the French government to be part of solutions of all the tensions in this strategic region.
"We are balanced, eager to make sure that the international rules are overseen and freedom of navigation is enhanced everywhere on international waters," he said.
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Speaking on India-France bilateral relations, Fayard mentioned: "We are engaged in the bilateral strategic relationship with India for a long time and this relationship is particularly enhanced in the naval domain as well. We are currently preparing for Varuna exercise, it's a very high-level interruptability exercise so in the next Varuna, we will be operating with some frigates, submarines of the Indian Navy."
While giving details about 'La Perouse', French Rear Admiral said, "La Perouse is an international naval exercise involving five countries namely France, the US, Australia, Japan and India. The aim of such multinational exercise is to be able to operate together and to practice our interoperability for networks, the way we are operating at our seas and we are very eager to work in such international framework."
He also lauded the other participating countries for coordinating with France in such an exercise.
Rear Admiral Fayard is in charge of the operational control of all French ships deployed from the Suez Canal towards the Malacca strait.
He also said there is no particular threat in that region as one million French citizens are there in the Indian Ocean.
"There are no particular threats as there are one million French citizens in the Indian Ocean. We are part of the Ocean and so we observe balance in order to be sure that all the international law of seas, the freedom of navigation, the international mechanisms are well respected in these very strategic areas," he said.
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