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India, France to hold joint naval exercise in Bay of Bengal

Xinhua, June 19, 2015 Adjust font size:

India and France will hold a joint naval exercise off the coast of the port city of Visakhapatnam in the southern state of Andhra Pradesh, defense sources said Friday.

"The naval exercise will be held in the Bay of Bengal on June 21 and June 22. Ships from the eastern naval command on the Indian side and two French naval vessels -- Dixmude (a landing helicopter dock) and Aconit, a stealth frigate -- will take part in the two- day event," the sources said.

France has said that the naval exercise is aimed at bolstering bilateral strategic ties with India.

The French Navy has been looking forward to more joint exercises with India to expand and deepen strategic and defense links between the two countries, Jean-Marc Sere Charlet, Minister Counselor of the Embassy of France in India, told the media Thursday.

The Indian Navy and French Navy had last month participated in a series of naval exercise off the coast of the western state of Goa. Endi