During the bilateral Garuda 25 exercise, Indian Su-30MKIs and French Rafales flew in mixed formation, strengthening interoperability between the two air powers.
Summary
The 2025 edition of Exercise Garuda 25 took place between November 16 and 27 at Mont-de-Marsan Air Base 118, featuring a series of missions involving Indian Sukhoi Su-30MKI fighters and French Dassault Rafales. This training exercise, involving more than 500 personnel and around 25 aircraft, aimed to deepen tactical and strategic interoperability between the Indian Air Force and the French Air and Space Force. The mixed formation flights, which are extremely rare, demonstrate a high degree of mutual trust and mark a turning point in Franco-Indian air cooperation.
Exercise Garuda: a tradition of air cooperation
Exercise Garuda is a bilateral air partnership between the Indian Air Force and the French Air and Space Force, initiated in 2003.
The 2025 edition is the eighth iteration. It is taking place in France, at Mont-de-Marsan, from November 16 to 27.
The Indian deployment began on November 10, with logistical transfers provided by heavy transport aircraft such as the Boeing C-17 Globemaster III, followed by in-flight refueling provided by Ilyushin Il-78 tankers to enable the long-range projection of fighter jets.
This exercise is part of a growing strategic cooperation between Paris and New Delhi, covering defense, industry, aeronautics, and geopolitical issues in the Indo-Pacific and beyond.
An exceptional mixed formation: Su-30MKI and Rafale side by side
What sets Garuda 25 apart is the rarity—even uniqueness—of close mixed formation flights between Indian Su-30MKIs and French Rafales. Photos released on November 21 show the two types of aircraft flying “wingtip to wingtip,” sometimes refueled in flight by an MRTT tanker.
According to the official statement, the combined missions included air-to-air combat, air defense, and coordinated strike scenarios. The objective was to test interoperability under realistic conditions.
Technically, the combination of two different philosophies—one a heavy, long-range, multi-role aircraft (Su-30MKI), the other an agile, versatile, all-role fighter (Rafale)—creates an interesting complementarity. The Su-30MKI is renowned for its endurance, its ability to carry a heavy load, and its long-range radars, while the Rafale stands out for its agility, modern onboard electronics, and versatility in both air-to-air and air-to-ground missions.
The support of an in-flight refueling tanker (MRTT) increases mission range, extends flight time, and allows for long-distance scenarios—reflecting real logistical expertise and major operational ambition.
Tactical and strategic challenges of this cooperation
Mutual skills development
For the Indian Air Force, working alongside a high-level European air force provides valuable feedback on operational standards, electronics, interoperability, and modern combat tactics. France’s experience of actual combat—in past operations—is a source of best practices, procedures, and doctrines to be observed and assimilated. For its part, the French Air and Space Force is gaining knowledge of the capabilities of a Russian aircraft customized by India, which could be useful in a coalition or alliance with countries equipped with similar equipment to that of the IAF.
Cooperation adapted to contemporary challenges
The convergence between France and India in the Indo-Pacific makes sense with such exercises. In a geopolitical context marked by rising tensions, the preservation of maritime routes, the protection of strategic points, and deterrence, an air force capable of projecting itself far, acting in coalition, intervening with high intensity, and ensuring air superiority brings real added value. Interoperability between the Su-30MKI and Rafale can translate into joint deployments, at sea or in areas under pressure.
A strong political signal
The images of the two fleets flying in mixed formation in France send a clear message: Paris and New Delhi are affirming a shared vision of defense aeronautics and a common tactical and strategic commitment. This coordinated show of force can serve as diplomatic leverage and a deterrent to regional and global powers.
Limitations and challenges of such ambitious air cooperation
Carrying out combined flights between aircraft of different origins, designs, and logics is not without its challenges. Several challenges can complicate the process.
- Logistical complexity: maintaining maintenance standards for heterogeneous platforms, managing refueling, supplies, spare parts, and the integration of communications and data links between the Su-30MKI and Rafale requires rigorous synchronization.
- Technical interoperability: avionics, radar, data links, and weapons systems may differ, requiring adaptations. Flight doctrines, tactical procedures, and rules of engagement must be harmonized.
- Tactical risks: in the event of actual conflict, the joint use of heavy multi-role aircraft and all-role fighters requires perfect coordination to avoid mutual interference—for example, in trajectory management, refueling, and strikes.
- Strategic constraints: even if the exercise affirms a common political will, different strategic and geopolitical interests may limit the large-scale development of a Franco-Indian aviation coalition.
Thus, these joint flights, although symbolic and tactically useful, remain a delicate balance between ambition and pragmatism.
What Garuda 25 reveals about the future of combat aviation
Garuda 25 is part of an evolution in international exercises: strong bilateral cooperation, varied combinations of platforms, increasingly intense scenarios, long-range projection, and flexible formats.
The simultaneous use of heavy fighters such as the Su-30MKI, multi-role fighters such as the Rafale, refueling aircraft, and the possible integration of drones or transport aircraft demonstrate a holistic approach to defense aviation.
The interoperability achieved today could become the basis for broader alliances, multi-country coalitions, and joint operations in the Indo-Pacific or elsewhere. For India, this validates the option of a long-term strategic partnership with extra-regional powers. For France, it confirms its role as a global player, capable of operating beyond its borders while forging solid partnerships.
Finally, the collective lessons learned—tactical, technical, and logistical—from Garuda 25 can be used to modernize doctrines, adapt national air forces to contemporary threats, and prepare for high-intensity missions or rapid intervention operations.
The success of the mixed formation flights between Indian Su-30MKIs and French Rafales during the Garuda 25 exercise illustrates a new level of international air cooperation. It proves that, beyond differences in concept and origin, armed forces can converge, harmonize their practices, and build a credible projection capability together. It remains to be seen whether this model, which is currently limited in scope, will be able to establish itself on a large scale—and respond to the strategic challenges of tomorrow.
Sources
Official press release from the Indian Ministry of Defense on Garuda 25 — Press Information Bureau, November 15, 2025.
Announcement of the Garuda 2025 exercise by the French Embassy — France in India, November 18, 2025.
Article “Indian Su-30MKIs join French Rafale jets in rare mixed close-formation flights over France” — Army Recognition, November 23, 2025.
Report on Franco-Indian air cooperation via the Garuda exercise — Caps India, 2025.
History of Exercise Garuda — Wikipedia.
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