On 28 October, Forbin entered dry dock and underwater equipment was installed, notably the sonar, propellers and rudders.

Tuning of the combat management systems was particularly problematic, setting the completion of the ship off-schedule enough for her commissioning to be delayed by several months.

Forbin left Toulon on 3 March 2009 for her first long cruise, visiting Morocco, the United States and Canada.

[citation needed] Subsequently, between 7–14 January 2011, the French carrier task group led by Charles de Gaulle participated with bilateral naval exercise, code named Varuna 10, with the Indian Navy.

Indian naval units participating in Varuna 10 included the Centaur-class aircraft carrier Viraat, the Godavari-class frigates Godavari and Ganga; and the Shishumar-class diesel-electric submarine Shalki.

[13] Forbin formed a part of the carrier strike group (CSG) centred on Charles de Gaulle during the Mission Clemenceau 25 deployment that began on 28 November 2024.

While the rest of the components of the CSG including Charles de Gaulle docked in Mormugao Port Trust Jetty, Goa, on 4 January .

[16][17][18] On 9 January, Forbin conducted combat manoeuvres and cross-deck helicopter deployment with INS Mormugao while departing from India joined the French CSG and her escort ships and fleet support ship during their departure from Goa and Kochi for the next phase of Mission Clemenceau 25 in the Indian and Pacific oceans.

[19][20] On 12 January, Forbin docked at Swettenham Pier in George Town, the capital city of the Malaysian state of Penang, as part of Clemenceau 25.