🗞️ Why in News The Indian Army’s Southern Command conducted Exercise Amogh Jwala at Babina Field Firing Ranges (near Jhansi, Uttar Pradesh), demonstrating integrated multi-domain operations combining attack helicopters, drones, electronic warfare, and cyber capabilities in a single coordinated exercise.
About Exercise Amogh Jwala
Amogh Jwala (Sanskrit: “Unerring Flame”) is a field exercise conducted by the Southern Command of the Indian Army at the Babina Field Firing Ranges, located in Jhansi district, Uttar Pradesh.
Duration: March 6–18, 2026 (13 days) Conducted by: White Tiger Division (armoured division under Southern Command) GOC-in-C Southern Command: Lt Gen Dhiraj Seth, PVSM, UYSM, AVSM Location: Babina Field Firing Ranges, Jhansi district, UP
Historic first: First-ever integration of Attack Helicopters with mechanised (armoured/infantry) ground forces in an Indian Army exercise — marking a critical advance in air-land battle synergy.
What Was Demonstrated
The exercise showcased India’s shift from platform-centric to network-centric warfare:
Multi-Domain Operations (MDO):
- Land domain: Mechanised infantry, armoured columns, artillery
- Air domain: Attack helicopters (Apache/Rudra), fighter aircraft (Rafale/Su-30 support), armed UAVs
- Cyber domain: Network operations, communications security, cyber hardening of command links
- Space domain: Use of satellite imagery for ISR (Intelligence, Surveillance & Reconnaissance)
Key Capabilities on Display:
| Capability | Significance |
|---|---|
| Drone swarms | Low-cost, high-volume area denial and surveillance |
| Counter-drone systems | VSHORAD, laser-based systems against enemy UAVs |
| Electronic Warfare (EW) | Jamming enemy communications and radar |
| Night-fighting | Thermal imaging, night-vision-equipped armour |
| ISR integration | Real-time satellite + drone feeds to command centre |
| Precision guided munitions | Laser/GPS-guided shells and rockets |
Babina — Strategic Significance
Babina Cantonment is one of India’s largest armoured warfare training centres:
- Home to elements of the 1 Strike Corps (India’s main offensive mechanised strike formation)
- Historically a key training ground for tank and infantry combined arms operations
- Located in the Central India plains, suitable for large-scale mechanised manoeuvre exercises
India’s Strike Corps: India has four strike corps: I Corps (Mathura), II Corps (Ambala), 21 Corps (Bhopal), and the partially-raised 17 Corps (Panagarh)
I Corps (Strike One):
- HQ: Mathura, Uttar Pradesh; raised April 1, 1965
- Re-oriented post-2020 to Northern Command for the Sino-Indian border in Ladakh (previously under South Western Command)
- Equipped with T-90 Bhishma and T-72 Ajeya main battle tanks
- BMP-2 Sarath infantry fighting vehicles
India’s Military Modernisation Context
Jointness and Theaterisation:
India is moving toward Integrated Theatre Commands (ITCs) — a structural reform where Army, Navy and Air Force assets in a geographic area fall under a single Theatre Commander.
- Chief of Defence Staff (CDS): Currently General Anil Chauhan (PVSM, UYSM, AVSM, SM, VSM) — appointed September 30, 2022 (2nd CDS; tenure extended till May 2026)
- ITCs proposed: Northern Theatre Command (China), Western Theatre Command (Pakistan), Maritime Theatre Command, Air Defence Command
- Status: Theaterisation process ongoing; implementation phased from 2025 onwards
India’s Drone Policy:
- Drone Rules 2021 (Civil Aviation Ministry)
- Defence Acquisition Council (DAC) approved procurement of armed drones (MQ-9B Predator/SeaGuardian from US under FMS)
- Indigenous armed drone: CATS Warrior (under development by HAL/DRDO)
- Drone Shakti initiative for civil drone ecosystem under PLI scheme
Recent Major Indian Army Exercises (for comparison):
| Exercise | Partner/Type | Focus |
|---|---|---|
| Amogh Jwala | Internal | Multi-domain warfare |
| Exercise Tasman Saber | India-Australia-US | Tri-lateral |
| Yudh Abhyas | India-US | Counter-insurgency + conventional |
| Shakti | India-France | Special forces |
| Mitra Shakti | India-Sri Lanka | Counter-terrorism |
| Prabal Dostyk | India-Kazakhstan | Counter-terrorism |
| Bold Kurukshetra | India-Singapore | Armoured warfare |
Electronic Warfare (EW) — Key Concepts for UPSC
Electronic Warfare is the military use of the electromagnetic spectrum to:
- Electronic Attack (EA): Jamming enemy radar/communications
- Electronic Protection (EP): Protecting own systems from jamming
- Electronic Support (ES): Signal intelligence — detecting and identifying enemy emissions
India’s EW systems:
- Samyukta — indigenously developed ground-based EW system by DRDO/BEL
- Himshakti — mountain warfare EW capability
- Being integrated with network-centric TACCCS (Tactical Command, Control, Communications & Intelligence System)
UPSC Relevance
Prelims: Exercise name, location (Babina, Jhansi, UP), Southern Command (HQ: Pune), GOC-in-C (Lt Gen Dhiraj Seth), domains covered (land/air/cyber/space), CDS (General Anil Chauhan), White Tiger Division. Mains GS3: Defence modernisation — theaterisation, multi-domain operations, drone warfare, electronic warfare, China-Pakistan threat context, Make in India in defence, DRDO and indigenisation.
📌 Facts Corner — Knowledgepedia
Exercise Amogh Jwala:
- Meaning: “Unerring Flame”; Duration: March 6–18, 2026 (13 days)
- Executed by: White Tiger Division, Southern Command, Indian Army
- Location: Babina Field Firing Ranges, Jhansi district, Uttar Pradesh
- GOC-in-C Southern Command: Lt Gen Dhiraj Seth, PVSM, UYSM, AVSM
- Domains: Land, Air, Cyber, Space
- Historic first: First-ever integration of Attack Helicopters with mechanised ground forces
Indian Army Commands (7 total):
- Northern, Eastern, Southern, Western, Central, South-Western, Army Training Command (ARTRAC)
- Southern Command HQ: Pune
India’s Four Strike Corps:
- I Corps (Mathura) — raised April 1, 1965; re-oriented to Northern Command post-2020 for China border
- II Corps (Ambala)
- 21 Corps (Bhopal)
- 17 Corps (Panagarh) — partially raised
- Tanks: T-90 Bhishma, T-72 Ajeya; IFV: BMP-2 Sarath
CDS of India:
- Current: General Anil Chauhan, PVSM, UYSM, AVSM, SM, VSM (appointed September 30, 2022; tenure extended till May 2026)
- First CDS: General Bipin Rawat (January 1, 2020 – December 8, 2021)
Integrated Theatre Commands (ITCs):
- Proposed: Northern (China border), Western (Pakistan border), Maritime, Air Defence
- Status: Implementation phase 2025 onwards
Key Indigenous Defence Systems:
- EW: Samyukta (DRDO/BEL); Himshakti (mountain warfare EW)
- Drone: CATS Warrior (HAL/DRDO — in development)
- Tank: T-90 Bhishma (licensed production, HVF Avadi)
- TACCCS: Tactical Command, Control, Communications & Intelligence System
Other Relevant Facts:
- Multi-Domain Operations (MDO): US Army doctrine adopted 2018; India aligning
- MQ-9B Predator/SeaGuardian drones: India approved purchase under FMS from US
- Drone Rules 2021: Ministry of Civil Aviation; Drone Shakti initiative under PLI scheme
- India’s defence budget 2025-26: Rs 6.81 lakh crore; 2026-27: Rs 7.85 lakh crore (15% increase)
- 75% of modernisation budget earmarked for domestic procurement
Sources: PIB, Ministry of Defence, The Hindu