<span style="color: #222222;">Exercise Orion, a bilateral military drill between the Indian Air Force and the French Air and Space Force (FASF) started at the Mont-de-Marsan airbase in France on Monday.</span><br />'' <span style="color: #222222;"> </span><br />'' <span style="color: #222222;">France Ambassador Emmanuel Lenain said, "France warmly welcomes the Indian Air Force (IAF) contingent that will take part in the exercise from today".</span><br />'' <span style="color: #222222;"> </span><br />'' <span style="color: #222222;">The exercise will be conducted from 17 April to 05 May 2023, with the IAF Contingent comprising four Rafale, two C-17, two ll-78 aircraft, and 165 air warriors. This would be the first overseas exercise for the IAF's Rafale aircraft, according to the statement released by Defence Ministry.</span><br />'' <span style="color: #222222;"> </span><br />'' <span style="color: #222222;">"Besides the IAF and the FASF, Air Forces from Germany, Greece, Italy, the Netherlands, the United Kingdom, Spain, and the United States would also be flying in this multilateral exercise. Participation in this exercise would further enrich the employment philosophy of the India Air Force, by imbibing the best practices from other Air Forces," the statement read.</span><br />'' <span style="color: #222222;"> </span><br />'' <span style="color: #222222;">Orion is reportedly the largest ever multinational exercise being carried out by the French defence forces which have involved their Army, Navy and Air Force along with their allies the US and the UK.</span><br />'' <span style="color: #222222;"> </span><br />'' <span style="color: #222222;">The Rafale aircraft are the latest fighters to have been inducted into the Indian Air Force and are considered to be the most potent in the entire Asian region.</span><br />'' <span style="color: #222222;"> </span><br />'' <span style="color: #222222;">The 36 Rafales have been completely inducted and they have played a significant role in improving the country's operational preparedness along both the borders with Pakistan and China.</span><br />