In message to China, French Navy to hold drills with India, visit Japan & Philippines for 1st time: Report

In a show of strength to China as well as allies, France is set to deploy a carrier strike group in the Indo-Pacific region, according to a report.

The fresh deployment comes right after a frigate, Bretagne, returned from a seven-month deployment to the Indo-Pacific.

Following the return of Bretagne, the French Navy is preparing for the deployment of a carrier strike group led by nuclear-powered aircraft carrier Charles de Gaulle to the Indo-Pacific where it is expected to hold drills with allies and partners and make historic port calls, according to Naval News.

The Charles de Gaulle would be joined by a host of vessels in the carrier strike group, including warships, logistic ships, and submarines.

In the Indian Ocean Region, the carrier strike group would hold up to three military exercises, including two with the Indian Navy, according to USNI News.

The idea driving the expedition is to send a message to China that France fields a blue water navy that has interoperability with allies and partners.

As China has emerged as the biggest aggression in the Indo-Pacific with hegemonic designs on the region, the United States, India, and other like-minded democratic countries are working to counter its aggression in the region. With the expedition, France is adding to the efforts.

The Charles de Gaulle-led carrier strike group is also expected to make historic first port of calls to Japan and Philippines, according to Naval News. The two nations are regularly at the receiving end of Chinese military aggression in the region.

French show of strength across Indo-Pacific

The French carrier strike group would include nuclear-powered Charles de Gaulle aircraft carrier and a slew of warships and vessels with full-spectrum war-waging capabilities.

In addition to the Charles de Gaulle, the carrier strike group is expected to include a Horizon-type air defense destroyer, an Aquitaine-class frigate, an air defense warship, a nuclear-powered attack submarine, logistics support ship Jacques Chevallier, and a metropolitan support and a Loire-class metropolitan offshore support and assistance vessel, according to Naval News, the official newspaper of the British Navy.

The newspaper further reported that the carrier strike group is set to include 24 Rafale Marine warplanes, two E-2C Hawkeye AEW aircraft, and four helicopters.

Overall, the carrier strike group would include around 3,000 personnel, including sailors, submariners, naval aviators, according to the newspaper.

While the main focus of the expedition is the Indo-Pacific region, the armada would sail through the Mediterranean and the Red Sea, which have seen disruption for more than a year because of the ongoing conflict in Middle East.

Notably, for more than a year, French military has often joined the US and British militaries in countering aggression by Iran and Iran-backed armed groups in the region.

France to hold drills with India & other partners

In the deployment mission dubbed Clemenceau 25, the French carrier strike group would be part of at least three military exercises, including two with India.

Firstly, the carrier strike group would hold annual bilateral exercise with India named ‘Varuna’ in the Western Indian Ocean Region (IOR).

Secondly, it would take part in multinational biennial exercise La Perouse in the IOR near Australia and Indonesia, along with navies from India, Australia, Japan, the Philippines, Singapore Navy, Canada, Malaysia, UK, and the United States.

Then, finally, it would join the UK, US, Japanese, and Canadian navies for Exercise Pacific Steller in the waters near Guam.

“The fact of investing in the area with first-rate assets over time shows that we are becoming credible in the area and that we are becoming, as a Pacific nation, a contributing nation,” said a French naval officer to Naval News.