<p>Sukhoi-30MKI fighters are participating in the Desert Eagle-II<span class="redactor-invisible-space"> combat exercises in the UAE.</span><br></p>

NEW DELHI: In tune with the policy to step up military engagement with countries in the Persian Gulf, the Indian Air Force is now conducting the ‘Desert Eagle-II’ air combat exercise with its counterpart in the United Arab Emirates.

The IAF has deployed its Sukhoi-30MKI fighters for the exercise at the Al-Dhafra airbase from May 24 to June 3, while the UAE has fielded Mirage-2000s and F-16s. “The exercise is being held with multiple simulated combat scenarios,” said an officer. “Such an exercise provides exposure towards mission planning and execution in a simulated high-threat combat environment, apart from building bonhomie with friendly air forces. Exercise Desert Eagle-I was held at the same location in September 2008,” he added.

The exercise comes close after defence minister Manohar Parrikar visited Oman and the UAE from May 20 to 23 to bolster bilateral defence cooperation. The flotilla of five Indian warships dispatched to the Persian Gulf earlier this month on a goodwill mission is now on its way back to Mumbai after visiting Dubai (UAE), Manama (Bahrain), Muscat (Oman) and Kuwait, as reported by TOI earlier.

This military diplomacy is in tune with the political one to bolster economic and security bonds with a region that is a big trading partner and a major source of energy for India, apart from being host to around eight million Indian expatriates. PM Narendra Modi recently visited Saudi Arabia, while he had made a trip to the UAE last year.

