As Indian Army dovetails with other Nations, the joint military exercises you must know

The Indian Tri-services, namely the Indian Navy, Air Force and the Indian Army are actively undergoing transition, indigenization and modernization to meet the standards and requirements of modern warfare. Although India has adopted the vision to be a self-reliant nation, especially when it comes to the security of its borders, it remains open to the scope of enhancing defence cooperation and synergy with the militaries of friendly nations to learn best practices, share tactics, operational experience and form friendly bonds.

Thereby, the Indian Army participated in multiple bilateral, trilateral and multilateral military exercises this year. Let's look at some of the major exercises undertaken by the Indian Army this year-  

Exercise Vajra Prahar

The Special Forces elements from the Indian Army and the US Military participate in this bilateral exercise annually. The exercise is hosted alternatively between the two nations. The latest edition of Exercise Vajra Prahar, the 13th edition, was hosted by India in Bakloh, Himachal Pradesh and commenced on 8 august.

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The primary aim of Ex-Vajra Prahar is to provide an opportunity to the special forces of both nations an opportunity to train in Air Borne operations, Special Operations, and Counter Terrorist Operations in simulated unconventional and conventional scenarios in high-altitude mountainous terrain. The exercise was scheduled for 21 days and was conducted in two phases.

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The first phase involved tactical-level special missions training exercises and combat conditioning while the second phase included a 48-hour long validation of training. The latest edition of the exercise saw participation from the 1st Special Forces Group (SFG) and Special Tactics Squadron (STS) of American Special Forces while the Indian Army contingent drew Special Forces personnel under the aegis of SFTS.  

Exercise Yudh Abhyas

India and US Armies participated in the 18th edition of Ex-Yudh Abhyas. The exercise is conducted annually with the main objectives being the enhancement of defence cooperation, building joint operational skills, cultural exchanges and exchange of knowledge and best practices.

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The latest edition of the exercise saw participation from the US Army’s 2nd Brigade of the 11th Airborne Division and the Indian Army’s Assam Regiment. The training regimen of the exercise focuses on the employment of an integrated battle group under Chapter VII of the United Nations Mandate.

Ex-Yudh Abhyas focused on all operations related to peacekeeping and peace enforcement. Furthermore, the joint exercise also focused on Humanitarian Assistance and Disaster Relief (HADR) operations. The exercise involved exchanges and practices on a wide spectrum of combat skills including information operations, combat engineering and employment of UAS/Counter UAS techniques.  

Exercise Austra Hind

New among India's list of bilateral military exercises, Ex-Austra Hind is a joint military exercise between the Indian and Australian Armies and is scheduled from 28 November to 11 December 2022. The Australian Army is being represented in the exercise by troops from the 13th Brigade of the 2nd Division while the Indian Army has deployed troops from the Dogra Regiment. The new exercise will be conducted on an annual basis.

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The aims of the exercise include the enhancement of positive military relations, the exchange of best practices, and strengthening of defence cooperation while undertaking multi-domain operations in semi-desert terrain under a UN peace enforcement mandate.

Furthermore, the two armies will be familiarized with tactics, techniques and procedures for conducting tactical operations at the Company and Platoon level to practice neutralising hostile threats. Joint planning, joint tactical drills, sharing basics of special arms skills and raiding a hostile target are included in the training regimen. Besides promoting understanding and interoperability between the two armies, Ex-Austra Hind will further help in strengthening ties between India and Australia.  

Exercise Harimau Shakti

Exercise Harimau Shakti is a bilateral military exercise conducted between the Indian Army and the Malaysian Army. The exercise is being conducted between the two armies since 2012 with the latest edition being hosted by Malaysia at Pulai, kulang, Malaysia. The exercise commenced on 28 November and will culminate on 12 December.

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Troops from the Royal Malay Regiment of the Malaysian Army and combat-experienced troops of the Indian Army's Garhwal Rifles Regiment are participating. Both armies aim to share experiences gained during combat operations to enhance inter-operability in planning and improve the execution of various operations in jungle terrain.

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The exercise schedule includes a Command Planning Exercise (CPX) at the Battalion level in addition to a Field Training Exercise (FTX) at the Company level to train in sub-conventional operations in jungle terrain. According to Indian Defense Ministry's press release, Ex Harimau Shakti will culminate with a two-day validation exercise, where the special emphasis will be laid on enhancing tactical skills and interoperability between the two forces and promoting relations.  

Exercise Garuda Shakti

A joint military exercise between the Indian and Indonesian Army's Special Forces, Exercise Garuda Shakti is a bilateral military exercise which is conducted with an aim to enhance understanding, cooperation and interoperability between the Special Forces elements of both armies. The latest edition of Ex-Garuda Shakti commenced at Indonesia's Sangga Buana Training Area, Karawang on November 21.

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The training regimen of Ex-Garuda Shakti includes orientation to advance special forces skills, exchange of information on weapons, innovations, equipment, tactics, techniques and lessons learnt from various operations undertaken by the SF units. Furthermore, the focus is laid on Special Operations in Jungle terrain and simulated strikes on terrorist camps.

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A high degree of focus is laid on physical fitness, tactical drills, techniques and procedures under a comprehensive 13-day training programme part of the exercise. The joint exercise facilitates both Indonesian and Indian Armies to know each other better and share their wide combat experiences, especially on Counter-terrorism operations, Regional Security Operations and Peace Keeping Operations in an international environment.

The Indian Armed Forces, which come under the Ministry of Defense are actively engaged in a revamp of its organizational structure to better address modern challenges and ensure the safety, security and welfare of the nation. The geopolitical dimension around the globe is undergoing a major crunch with various nations engaged in conflicts. Some of the major ones include Armenia-Azerbaijan, China-Taiwan, South Korea-North Korea and Russia-Ukraine. India itself is surrounded by two unfriendly neighbours- China and Pakistan. Thereby, the continuous trend of joint military exercises with allies serves a powerful purpose for the Indian Armed Forces.