MUMBAI, Nov 8: Indian and French warships on Thursday began a three-day joint naval exercise in the Arabian sea, the longest ever conducted between the two countries.

The exercise, entitled Varuna, “is another significant step in a substantial naval cooperation,” the French embassy in New Delhi said in a statement.

Four French warships had been due to participate in the exercise, but support ship Bougainville had to drop out, a French official said.

“The other three warships sailed into the waters and commenced the exercise,” the official said.

Command and support ship Var and frigates Courbet and Commandant L’Herminier will be under the control of Rear Admiral Laurent Merer, commander of the French naval forces in the Indian Ocean.

Two Indian destroyers and a submarine are due to take part in the exercise.

“The joint exercise commenced on Thursday morning 50 nautical miles off the Mumbai coast and will go on till November 10,” said Indian defence ministry spokesman C.K. Singh.

The exercise is being conducted away from a US flotilla in the Arabian Sea which is engaged in the military campaign against Afghanistan. —AFP