Indian Su-30MKIs Join French Rafale Jets in Rare Mixed Close-Formation Flights over France
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Indian Air Force Su-30MKI fighters are flying tightly integrated mixed formations with French Rafale and Mirage 2000 jets during Exercise Garuda 25 at Mont-de-Marsan Air Base in France from 16 to 27 November 2025. The eighth Indo-French air exercise brings together over 500 personnel and around 25 aircraft for high-intensity air combat drills that deepen interoperability from Europe to the Indo-Pacific.
On November 21, 2025, rare cockpit images released from Mont-de-Marsan Air Base showed Indian Air Force crews flying six Su-30MKI fighters in tight mixed formations alongside French Rafale jets, sometimes supported by an A330 MRTT Phénix tanker, as reported by the French Air Force. These sorties are part of Exercise Garuda 25, the eighth iteration of the long-running bilateral air exercise between the Indian Air Force (IAF) and the French Air and Space Force (FASF), held this year from November 16 to 27 at Air Base 118 in southwestern France. The deployment brings together more than 500 personnel and around 25 aircraft, including Rafale, Mirage 2000, Su-30MKI, transport and tanker assets, for high-intensity air combat training. This mixed formation, seldom seen in operational training, underscores the political will in Paris and New Delhi to deepen air power cooperation as both countries face increasingly complex security environments in Europe and the Indo-Pacific.
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The integration of the Su-30MKI, Rafale, and A330 MRTT Phénix illustrates that both air forces are investing not only in advanced platforms but also in harmonized procedures, shared operational reflexes, and deepening mutual confidence (Picture Source: French Air Force)
At the technical level, the images underscore a triad of complementary assets: the French Rafale omnirole fighter, the Indian Su-30MKI heavy multirole combat aircraft, and the A330 MRTT Phénix aerial refueling platform. The Rafale, developed by Dassault Aviation as the cornerstone of France’s combat aviation, was conceived to execute air superiority, deep strike, reconnaissance, and nuclear deterrence missions within a single, integrated system. The Su-30MKI, an advanced variant of the Russian Su-30 lineage extensively customized for India with Western and Israeli avionics, a long-range radar, and thrust-vectoring engines, delivers exceptional payload capacity and endurance, making it particularly effective for extended air dominance and patrol operations. The MRTT Phénix, derived from the Airbus A330 airliner, provides the vital in-flight refueling capability for both French and Indian aircraft, transforming the combined formation into a truly expeditionary force capable of sustained, long-range air operations.
From an operational perspective, Garuda has evolved since its first edition in 2003 into a venue for progressively more demanding scenarios, moving from basic air combat drills to complex composite air operations with large formations and layered threats. Earlier iterations focused on familiarization and limited mission sets; Garuda 25, by contrast, integrates beyond-visual-range engagements, defensive counter air, offensive counter air and joint strike missions in a simulated contested environment, with adversary tactics inspired by recent conflicts and high-end exercises. The pairing of Su-30MKI and Rafale is particularly significant, as both aircraft have been tested in real-world operations: the Rafale in French campaigns over Libya, the Levant and the Sahel, and the Su-30MKI in Indian air defense and strike support roles on the subcontinent. When combined with tanker support from the MRTT, the formation resembles the kind of air package that France and India might one day assemble to secure extended sea lines of communication, protect key infrastructure or respond to a regional crisis.
The mixed Su-30MKI–Rafale force delivers capabilities that exceed those of its individual platforms. The Su-30MKI, with its extended range, powerful radar and two-seat cockpit, is well suited to forward air dominance and battlespace management, while the Rafale’s high agility, advanced electronic warfare suite and multispectral targeting systems excel at precision strike and suppression of enemy air defenses. This complementary division of roles mirrors concepts used by other air forces that pair heavy twin‑engine fighters with smaller multirole jets. Garuda 25 is notable for integrating two distinct design philosophies, Russian‑derived heavy fighter and French omnirole aircraft, into a cohesive force through common procedures, shared tactics and standardized communications. The A330 MRTT Phénix functions as the force multiplier, extending range and time‑on‑station in a manner comparable to KC‑46 or A330‑based tankers, and enabling rehearsal of deep‑strike and long‑range air‑defense profiles relevant to operations across the Indo‑Pacific and extended maritime approaches to Europe.
Strategically, the images of Su-30MKIs and Rafales flying wingtip to wingtip carry a clear message about Indo–French alignment in an era of renewed great power competition. For India, intensive training with a NATO air force at a major French base confirms its ambition to operate seamlessly with technologically advanced partners while preserving strategic autonomy. For France, which frames itself as a resident power in the Indo-Pacific, hosting Indian crews at Mont-de-Marsan reinforces its strategy of diversifying security partnerships beyond traditional transatlantic channels. At the geopolitical level, Garuda 25 dovetails with broader patterns of cooperation, including joint naval drills, industrial collaboration on submarines and helicopters, and converging positions on freedom of navigation from the Mediterranean to the Indian Ocean. Militarily, each edition of Garuda increases the level of interoperability in planning, command and control, data-link usage and rules of engagement, making it easier for both air forces to plug into ad hoc coalitions or to conduct parallel operations in a crisis. The very rarity of such mixed Su-30–Rafale formations, captured directly from the cockpits during this exercise, underlines how far the relationship has progressed since the early 2000s and how central air power has become to the strategic dialogue between Paris and New Delhi.
The Garuda 25 imagery from Mont-de-Marsan represents more than a visual record; it captures an evolving operational dynamic in which Indian and French aircrews train, plan, and execute missions as near-equals in complex, high-intensity environments. The integration of the Su-30MKI, Rafale, and A330 MRTT Phénix illustrates that both air forces are investing not only in advanced platforms but also in harmonized procedures, shared operational reflexes, and deepening mutual confidence. Together, these elements establish the foundation for faster, more cohesive responses to emerging crises. The mixed formation serves as a tangible expression of a maturing strategic partnership, one that steadily converts political alignment into reliable, reproducible combat interoperability with strategic effects extending from Europe’s northern flank to the air and sea corridors of the Indo-Pacific.
Written by Teoman S. Nicanci – Defense Analyst, Army Recognition Group
Teoman S. Nicanci holds degrees in Political Science, Comparative and International Politics, and International Relations and Diplomacy from leading Belgian universities, with research focused on Russian strategic behavior, defense technology, and modern warfare. He is a defense analyst at Army Recognition, specializing in the global defense industry, military armament, and emerging defense technologies.
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Indian Air Force Su-30MKI fighters are flying tightly integrated mixed formations with French Rafale and Mirage 2000 jets during Exercise Garuda 25 at Mont-de-Marsan Air Base in France from 16 to 27 November 2025. The eighth Indo-French air exercise brings together over 500 personnel and around 25 aircraft for high-intensity air combat drills that deepen interoperability from Europe to the Indo-Pacific.
On November 21, 2025, rare cockpit images released from Mont-de-Marsan Air Base showed Indian Air Force crews flying six Su-30MKI fighters in tight mixed formations alongside French Rafale jets, sometimes supported by an A330 MRTT Phénix tanker, as reported by the French Air Force. These sorties are part of Exercise Garuda 25, the eighth iteration of the long-running bilateral air exercise between the Indian Air Force (IAF) and the French Air and Space Force (FASF), held this year from November 16 to 27 at Air Base 118 in southwestern France. The deployment brings together more than 500 personnel and around 25 aircraft, including Rafale, Mirage 2000, Su-30MKI, transport and tanker assets, for high-intensity air combat training. This mixed formation, seldom seen in operational training, underscores the political will in Paris and New Delhi to deepen air power cooperation as both countries face increasingly complex security environments in Europe and the Indo-Pacific.
The integration of the Su-30MKI, Rafale, and A330 MRTT Phénix illustrates that both air forces are investing not only in advanced platforms but also in harmonized procedures, shared operational reflexes, and deepening mutual confidence (Picture Source: French Air Force)
At the technical level, the images underscore a triad of complementary assets: the French Rafale omnirole fighter, the Indian Su-30MKI heavy multirole combat aircraft, and the A330 MRTT Phénix aerial refueling platform. The Rafale, developed by Dassault Aviation as the cornerstone of France’s combat aviation, was conceived to execute air superiority, deep strike, reconnaissance, and nuclear deterrence missions within a single, integrated system. The Su-30MKI, an advanced variant of the Russian Su-30 lineage extensively customized for India with Western and Israeli avionics, a long-range radar, and thrust-vectoring engines, delivers exceptional payload capacity and endurance, making it particularly effective for extended air dominance and patrol operations. The MRTT Phénix, derived from the Airbus A330 airliner, provides the vital in-flight refueling capability for both French and Indian aircraft, transforming the combined formation into a truly expeditionary force capable of sustained, long-range air operations.
From an operational perspective, Garuda has evolved since its first edition in 2003 into a venue for progressively more demanding scenarios, moving from basic air combat drills to complex composite air operations with large formations and layered threats. Earlier iterations focused on familiarization and limited mission sets; Garuda 25, by contrast, integrates beyond-visual-range engagements, defensive counter air, offensive counter air and joint strike missions in a simulated contested environment, with adversary tactics inspired by recent conflicts and high-end exercises. The pairing of Su-30MKI and Rafale is particularly significant, as both aircraft have been tested in real-world operations: the Rafale in French campaigns over Libya, the Levant and the Sahel, and the Su-30MKI in Indian air defense and strike support roles on the subcontinent. When combined with tanker support from the MRTT, the formation resembles the kind of air package that France and India might one day assemble to secure extended sea lines of communication, protect key infrastructure or respond to a regional crisis.
The mixed Su-30MKI–Rafale force delivers capabilities that exceed those of its individual platforms. The Su-30MKI, with its extended range, powerful radar and two-seat cockpit, is well suited to forward air dominance and battlespace management, while the Rafale’s high agility, advanced electronic warfare suite and multispectral targeting systems excel at precision strike and suppression of enemy air defenses. This complementary division of roles mirrors concepts used by other air forces that pair heavy twin‑engine fighters with smaller multirole jets. Garuda 25 is notable for integrating two distinct design philosophies, Russian‑derived heavy fighter and French omnirole aircraft, into a cohesive force through common procedures, shared tactics and standardized communications. The A330 MRTT Phénix functions as the force multiplier, extending range and time‑on‑station in a manner comparable to KC‑46 or A330‑based tankers, and enabling rehearsal of deep‑strike and long‑range air‑defense profiles relevant to operations across the Indo‑Pacific and extended maritime approaches to Europe.
Strategically, the images of Su-30MKIs and Rafales flying wingtip to wingtip carry a clear message about Indo–French alignment in an era of renewed great power competition. For India, intensive training with a NATO air force at a major French base confirms its ambition to operate seamlessly with technologically advanced partners while preserving strategic autonomy. For France, which frames itself as a resident power in the Indo-Pacific, hosting Indian crews at Mont-de-Marsan reinforces its strategy of diversifying security partnerships beyond traditional transatlantic channels. At the geopolitical level, Garuda 25 dovetails with broader patterns of cooperation, including joint naval drills, industrial collaboration on submarines and helicopters, and converging positions on freedom of navigation from the Mediterranean to the Indian Ocean. Militarily, each edition of Garuda increases the level of interoperability in planning, command and control, data-link usage and rules of engagement, making it easier for both air forces to plug into ad hoc coalitions or to conduct parallel operations in a crisis. The very rarity of such mixed Su-30–Rafale formations, captured directly from the cockpits during this exercise, underlines how far the relationship has progressed since the early 2000s and how central air power has become to the strategic dialogue between Paris and New Delhi.
The Garuda 25 imagery from Mont-de-Marsan represents more than a visual record; it captures an evolving operational dynamic in which Indian and French aircrews train, plan, and execute missions as near-equals in complex, high-intensity environments. The integration of the Su-30MKI, Rafale, and A330 MRTT Phénix illustrates that both air forces are investing not only in advanced platforms but also in harmonized procedures, shared operational reflexes, and deepening mutual confidence. Together, these elements establish the foundation for faster, more cohesive responses to emerging crises. The mixed formation serves as a tangible expression of a maturing strategic partnership, one that steadily converts political alignment into reliable, reproducible combat interoperability with strategic effects extending from Europe’s northern flank to the air and sea corridors of the Indo-Pacific.
Written by Teoman S. Nicanci – Defense Analyst, Army Recognition Group
Teoman S. Nicanci holds degrees in Political Science, Comparative and International Politics, and International Relations and Diplomacy from leading Belgian universities, with research focused on Russian strategic behavior, defense technology, and modern warfare. He is a defense analyst at Army Recognition, specializing in the global defense industry, military armament, and emerging defense technologies.
