France [Images] considers India as a dominant naval power in the Indian Ocean region, a senior French Navy official said in Mumbai.

The visit of the French Navy supply and command ship in the Indian Ocean region 'Marne' to Mumbai harbour is a part of the on-going close Indo-French naval co-operation, the official told PTI on board Marne.

The bilateral co-operation between India and France was initiated a decade ago and since then, French naval ships have been regularly visiting India and also participating in the joint-naval exercise 'Varuna', he said.

A joint-naval exercise between the two navies is scheduled for 2006, the official said. He, however, declined to divulge details. Asked if the aircraft carriers of the two nations would be participating in that exercise, he said "most likely".

"France feels that the Indian Ocean zone plays a key role in international affairs," the official said. "It is situated at the junction of the main commercial and strategic maritime routes. It is an important zone for international exchanges, which has witnessed many political and military crises in the past 10 years," he added.

"It is in this framework that supply and command ship Marne, which is also the flagship of the Admiral has been deployed in the Indian Ocean area," he said.

The 158-mt long Marne is an oil tanker of the French Navy, which supports the French fleet in the Indian Ocean. It is the flagship of the Admiral commanding the French Naval forces in the Indian Ocean (Alindien) who is himself the direct representative of the chief of French Defense staff, he said.