_1613989039767_1613989103350.png)
Charles de Gaulle carrier to exercise with Vikramaditya in Indian Ocean in April
India and France will cement its defence cooperation in April when Charles de Gaulle aircraft carrier strike force will exercise with INS Vikramaditya in two phases in Arabian Sea and Indian Ocean. The dates of the exercises are being scheduled between the two navies.
The nuclear powered French carrier force, comprising two frigates and on support ship, is on mission “Clemenceau 21”, which is involved in the fight against terrorism for several months in Mediterranean, Indian Ocean and Arabian Sea/ Persian Gulf.
According to people aware of the developments in the Navy , the Western Fleet with its newly appointed commander Rear Admiral Ajay Kochhar will be conducting advanced exercises with the French carrier task force. While Charles de Gaulle is a 42,500 tonne aircraft carrier with Rafale M fighter on board, INS Vikramaditya is a conventionally powered aircraft carrier with displacement of 44,500 tonnes and has MiG-29K fighters on board.
The month of April will see renewed engagement with France with Foreign Minister Jean Yves Le Drian arriving in India to deliver a lecture at a think-tank and pursue political dialogue with India. Both India and France have convergence over freedom of navigation in Indo-Pacific with Paris appointing a special envoy for the region.
To add to this will be arrival of seven Rafale fighters from France between April 19-23, after which the first squadron of the French omni-role fighter will be completed at Ambala air base. The remaining 18 fighters will be deployed at Hashimara in the eastern sector to cover the strategic Siliguri corridor.
India and France have cemented their bilateral relationship with convergence in UN Security Council and building up Indian Air Force’s capacity through purchase of medium transport aircraft and multi-role transport tankers. The two countries have also joined hands in development of air independent propulsion for conventional submarines for future Indian submersible ships.

After Jammu G23 meet, Tewari hits campaign
- The meeting came a week after Tewari and other letter writers, the group has been tagged the G23, addressed a meeting in Jammu in honour of retired MP Ghulam Nabi Azad.

Over 300 people try to gauge mood for Cong in TN, Kerala
- In Tamil Nadu, the Congress is in alliance with the Dravida Munnetra Kazhagham (DMK).

6 states continue to record spike in Covid cases: Centre
- The observations from the Union health ministry come a day after the country reported the largest single-day increase in new Covid-19 infections in two months.

‘Women are not pleading, they are leading’: Smriti Irani
- Smriti Irani says, "I’m the only female politician who’s also recognised by her former vocation. I recognise the bias in that."

2nd half of Budget session may be cut short due to state polls
- An official said that both Houses could meet at 11 am from the second week following the vaccination of eligible MPs.

Five of family found dead in Chhattisgarh
- A suicide note found at the spot said they took the decision because of acute financial distress, an official said.

Govt plan to take over mine auctions faces opposition from a few states
- The changes have been opposed by some states who see it as another attempt by the Centre to take over mining auctions and impose central rules on a state domain.

India must strive to catch the ecological bus
- A re-invigorated biodiversity management policy is India’s survival strategy. At this point in our development trajectory, we don’t pay any heed to either biodiversity or landscape conservation.

Early summer, lack of rain spark fires
- According to Forest Survey of India’s forest fire alert system, there were 2,317 fire points last year between February 26 and March 7, but the figure rose to 53,211 this time after data from the Suomi National Polar-orbiting Partnership (SNPP) was taken into account.

Woman, 32, mother of two rappels down 155-feet mountain blindfolded in 58 sec

24-yr-old man gets death for rape, murder of 5-yr-old boy

Every breach of promise to marry doesn’t mean rape: SC

Women are not pleading, they’re leading: Smriti Irani

Telangana government declares holiday for women employees on Women's Day
