Military Exercises
Defence GK · सैन्य अभ्यास · 18 facts
Yudh Abhyas (India-USA): Annual joint army exercise; alternately held in India and USA; largest bilateral Army exercise; focuses on counter-insurgency and peace-keeping
Vajra Prahar (India-USA): Annual special forces (SF) exercise between US Special Forces and Indian Para SF; trains in counter-terrorism, sniper, special operations
Malabar Naval Exercise: Started 1992 India-USA bilateral; expanded to include Japan (2015) and Australia (2020, making it QUAD naval exercise); annual
INDRA (India-Russia): Joint military exercise; alternately army (INDRA) and air force; one of India's longest-running bilateral exercises; focuses on counter-terrorism
Shakti (India-France): Joint army exercise; held alternately in India and France; covers counter-terrorism, HADR, jungle and mountain warfare operations
Dharma Guardian (India-Japan): Annual joint army exercise; covers counter-terrorism in jungle and semi-urban terrain; started 2018; held in India and Japan alternately
Garuda (India-France Air Force): Bilateral air exercise between IAF and French Air and Space Force; covers air superiority, ground attack, electronic warfare
Surya Kiran (India-Nepal): Joint army exercise; emphasises humanitarian assistance, disaster relief, counter-terrorism in mountain terrain; Nepal Army and Indian Army
Nomadic Elephant (India-Mongolia): Annual bilateral army exercise; focuses on counter-insurgency, HADR; held at Vairengte, Mizoram and Mongolia alternately
KAZIND (India-Kazakhstan): Joint army exercise; covers counter-terrorism; important for India's connectivity with Central Asia; held alternately in both countries
Tarkash (India-France): Joint special forces exercise; para-commando level; India's Para SF and French Foreign Legion; covers hostage rescue, building clearance
SLINEX (India-Sri Lanka Naval Exercise): Bilateral naval exercise; focuses on anti-piracy, anti-submarine warfare, maritime interdiction, HADR in Indian Ocean
TASMAN SABER (India-Australia): Growing defence cooperation since 2020 QUAD; bilateral army exercise; Australia expanded ties after India's Galwan clash with China
AJEYA WARRIOR (India-UK): Joint army exercise; covers urban warfare, counter-terrorism, peacekeeping; reflects growing India-UK defence partnership post-Brexit
Harimau Shakti (India-Malaysia): Bilateral jungle warfare exercise; Malaysia and India Army; held at Mahajan Field Firing Range; focus on jungle combat
SHAKTI exercise objectives: All bilateral exercises aim for — interoperability, shared tactics against terrorism, HADR coordination, goodwill between armed forces
MILAN multilateral naval exercise: Biennial multilateral navy exercise hosted by India (Visakhapatnam); 50+ nations participate; India's soft power through navy
Tasman Saber and Pitch Black: Australia-hosted exercises that India now participates in regularly; marks India's growing engagement with Indo-Pacific partners