Indian Air Force contingent arrives in Greece to take part in Exercise Iniochos

An Indian Air Force contingent landed at Andravida Air Base in the western Peloponnese of Greece on Saturday to take part in the international exercise Iniochos 2023. Apart from personnel, four Su-30 MKI and two C-17 aircraft from the Indian Air Force will also take part in the exercise.

The Hellenic Air Force is organizing the multi-nation air exercise at the Andravida Air Base in Greece from April 24 to May 4, 2023.

The objective of the exercise is to enhance international cooperation, synergy and interoperability amongst the participating Air Forces, India’s Ministry of Defence said. “The exercise will be conducted in a realistic combat scenario involving multiple types of air and surface assets. It will also enable the participating contingents to engage in professional interactions, providing valuable insight into each other’s best practices,” the ministry added.

Apart from Iniochos 2023, IAF is also currently participating in Exercise Orion and Exercise Cope India.

Exercise Orion, a joint military exercise involving the French Air and Space Force (FASF) and the Indian Air Force, got underway on Monday at the French airbase of Mont-de-Marsan. The IAF contingent is participating in the exercise with four Rafale, two C-17, two ll-78, and 165 personnel from April 17 to May 5, 2023. This is the IAF's Rafale aircraft's first foreign training exercise.

Additionally, Exercise Cope India 23, a joint air exercise between the Indian Air Force (IAF) and the United States Air Force, is currently taking place at the Indian Air Force Stations Arjan Singh (Panagarh), Kalaikunda, and Agra (USAF). The purpose of this exercise, which got underway on April 13 and will go through April 24, is to improve communication and cooperation between the two Air Forces.

The exercise's first phase, which began on April 10, concentrated on air mobility and utilized Special Forces assets from the IAF and USAF as well as transport planes. The second phase began at Air Force Station Kalaikunda on April 13 with the participation of USAF B1B bombers and F-15 fighter planes from the US side and Su-30 MKI, Rafale, Tejas, and Jaguar fighter aircraft from the Indian side. The exercise seeks to improve communication and best practices exchange between the IAF and the USAF.