In Pictures: Indian Armed Forces Tri-Service Contingent Hones Skills In Bright Star 2023 Multi-Lateral Exercise In Egypt

A tri-service contingent of the Indian Armed Forces is currently in Egypt to participate in a multi-lateral exercise codenamed Bright Star 2023.

The exercise commenced last month (on 27 August) and is scheduled to conclude on Saturday (16 September).

This edition marks the Indian Air Force's (IAF) first participation in Exercise Bright Star-23, where air force units from the United States, Saudi Arabia, Greece, and Qatar will also be taking part.

The IAF contingent includes five MiG-29 fighter jets, two IL-78 air-to-air refueling (AAR) aircraft, two C-130s, and two C-17 transport aircraft. It comprises personnel from the IAF's Garud Special Forces and members from squadrons 28, 77, 78 and 81.

IAF transport aircraft will airlift approximately 150 personnel from the Indian Army.

As part of the exercise, the IAF's Russian-made IL-78 MKI AAR aircraft refueled Egyptian MiG 29 and Rafale fighter jets.

The Egyptian Air Force operates 24 Dassault Rafale jets purchased from France in 2015, with an additional 30 on order.

It is noteworthy that the IAF also operates 36 Rafale aircraft, while the Indian Navy plans to order 26 more for operations from its indigenous aircraft carrier, INS Vikrant.

The Indian Navy's offshore patrol vessel INS Sumedha also docked at the ports of Alexandria to participate in the maritime component of the Bright Star 2023 exercise.

The Indian Ministry of Defence released a press statement stating that, "the objective of the exercise is to practise planning and execution of joint operations."

"Besides leading to the formation of bonding across borders, such interactions also provide a means to further strategic relations between participating nations," the statement adds.