Indian Army's Special Forces Head to Indonesia for Joint GARUD SHAKTI 24 Exercise

New Delhi, India – A 25-member contingent from Indian Army has arrivd in Cijantung, Jakarta, Indonesia, to participate in 9th edition of Exercise GARUD SHAKTI 24, a joint Special Forces exercise with Indonesia. exercise, scheduled from November 1 to November 12, 2024, aims to fortify military cooperation and tactical understanding between Indian and Indonesian armies.

Indian team, composed of elite soldiers from Parachute Regiment (Special Forces), will join 40 personnel from Indonesian Special Forces, Kopassus. joint exercise represents an ongoing effort to foster deeper military ties and improve interoperability between both armies, especially within ir Special Forces units. According to an Indian Army statement, Exercise GARUD SHAKTI 24 is designed to facilitate an exchange of vanced operational knowledge and tactical expertise, strengning strategic partnership between two countries. 

Objectives and Scope of GARUD SHAKTI 24 

Exercise GARUD SHAKTI 24 serves as a collaborative platform, allowing Indian and Indonesian contingents to familiarize mselves with each or’s operating procedures and vance ir understanding of special operations tactics. joint drills are expected to promote bilateral cooperation through discussions, tactical drills, and rehearsals.

Key areas of focus for GARUD SHAKTI 24 include: 

• vanced Special Operations: joint teams will engage in planning and executing complex special operations, with an emphasis on mission-critical skills. 
• Tactical Exchange: Participants will share tactical knowledge on weapons, equipment, innovations, and various techniques to enhance ir operational preparedness. 
• Special Forces Skills: Both contingents will receive orientation in vanced Special Forces capabilities, reinforcing ir ability to execute diverse missions effectively. 
• Joint Exercises in Jungle Terrain: Focused drills will be conducted to prepare for jungle-based operations, including simulated strikes on hypotical terrorist camps. 

Highlighted Activities and Bilateral Benefits 

A significant feature of exercise will be a Validation Exercise, which will test integration of basic and vanced Special Forces skills, showcasing capabilities and tactical synergies of both contingents. This exercise segment aims to simulate real-world combat situations, strengning joint response mechanisms. 

Aside from combat drills, GARUD SHAKTI 24 offers Indian and Indonesian troops an opportunity to share insights into ir cultures and day-to-day practices, a unique experience that fosters mutual respect and cooperation.

exercise is set to provide both countries with a platform to discuss shared security concerns and explore solutions for regional stability. It aims to support a broer security framework, enhancing collaborative reiness and aligning both nations toward shared security goals. 

Strengning Indo-Indonesian Strategic Ties 

India and Indonesia share a history of robust defense ties and are committed to maintaining peace and security in Indo-Pacific region. Exercise GARUD SHAKTI 24 reflects this commitment and underscores importance of joint military training to respond to mutual threats, with a focus on counter-terrorism and regional security.

Since its inception, GARUD SHAKTI has served as an influential exercise, bridging tactical understanding and strengning operational cohesion. Both armies anticipate that continued success of such joint training exercises will le to even closer cooperation in dressing regional security challenges.

As Indian contingent embarks on its journey to Indonesia, this ninth iteration of GARUD SHAKTI marks anor milestone in long-standing defense partnership between India and Indonesia, reinforcing shared values and commitment toward peace, security, and military reiness in region.