'Exercise Desert Knight – 21' is a bilateral air exercise between the Indian Air Force and the Air Force of which one of the following countries?
- (a)USA
- (b)France
- (c)Britain
- (d)Israel
Answer
Why
Correct — B, France. Exercise Desert Knight-21 was a bilateral air combat exercise between the Indian Air Force and the French Air and Space Force, held in January 2021 over Jodhpur. It coincided with the French Rafale contingent's 'Skyros' deployment to India and featured Rafale fighters of both air forces alongside IAF Su-30 MKI and Mirage-2000 aircraft.
Why the others are wrong
- (a)USA — India and the USA do hold air exercises (for example Cope India), but Desert Knight-21 was not with the United States.
- (c)Britain — The IAF exercises with the Royal Air Force (for example Indradhanush), but that is a different exercise; Desert Knight-21 was with France.
- (d)Israel — India and Israel have close defence ties but no air exercise by this name; Desert Knight-21 was an India-France exercise.
Concept
India conducts named bilateral and multilateral military exercises with partner countries. Desert Knight-21 (air) was with France, reflecting the deepening Indian Air Force-French Air Force partnership after India's Rafale induction from 2020. India and France also hold the Varuna (naval) and Shakti (army) exercises.
The cue is the Rafale — the exercise took place around the French Rafale's 'Skyros' stopover in India, which points to France. Distinguish it from India's exercises with the USA, the UK and Israel.
Key facts
- Desert Knight-21: an IAF-French Air and Space Force air exercise, January 2021, at Jodhpur.
- It featured Rafale jets of both sides, plus IAF Su-30 MKI and Mirage-2000 aircraft.
- India and France also hold Varuna (navy) and Shakti (army) exercises.
- The Rafale, made by France's Dassault Aviation, entered IAF service from 2020.
Study next
Common traps
- Confusing Desert Knight (France) with Desert Cyclone (UAE) or other 'Desert' exercises.
- Mixing up the partner countries of India's various air exercises.
Asked as 'Exercise X is between India and which country / service', a defence current-affairs staple.
Related PYQs
Exercise Desert Cyclone is a joint military exercise between India and:
- (a) Kuwait
- (b) Saudi Arabia
- (c) United Arab Emirates
- (d) Oman
Answer(c) United Arab Emirates
Same concept — identifying the partner country of a named bilateral 'Desert' military exercise; here Desert Cyclone with the UAE, just as Desert Knight-21 was with France.
Which one among the following Joint Military Exercises was NOT conducted between India and USA?
- (a) Yudh Abhyas
- (b) Vajra Prahar
- (c) Malabar
- (d) Varuna
Answer(d) Varuna
Same concept — matching India's bilateral exercises to their partners; Varuna is the India-France naval exercise, the same India-France partnership behind Desert Knight-21.
Practice
- practice — not a real PYQ
'Varuna' is a bilateral naval exercise between India and which country?
- (a)France
- (b)Russia
- (c)USA
- (d)United Kingdom
Answer(a) France — the naval counterpart to the India-France air exercise Desert Knight. - practice — not a real PYQ
The Rafale fighter aircraft inducted by the Indian Air Force is manufactured by which country?
- (a)Russia
- (b)USA
- (c)France
- (d)Sweden
Answer(c) France — the Rafale is built by Dassault Aviation.