India's Defence Exercises — Bilateral & Multilateral

What Are Joint Military Exercises?

Joint military exercises are pre-planned training activities conducted between the armed forces of two or more countries. They are designed to enhance interoperability (the ability to operate together seamlessly), build mutual trust, share tactical knowledge, and strengthen defence diplomacy. India conducts over 50 bilateral and multilateral exercises annually with countries across all continents — making it one of the most active participants in global military diplomacy.

Why Do They Matter for UPSC?

• Prelims: Exercise names matched with partner countries and service branches (Army/Navy/Air Force) are a recurring question type. Knowing the oldest, largest, and recently inaugurated exercises is essential.
• Mains GS-2: Defence diplomacy as a tool of India’s foreign policy; Quad and Indo-Pacific security architecture; India’s Act East Policy and neighbourhood-first approach.
• Mains GS-3: India’s security challenges and border management; role of armed forces in national security; India’s defence modernisation and strategic partnerships.
• Interview: Questions on India’s defence partnerships, specific exercises with neighbouring countries, and the strategic rationale behind multilateral exercises.

Most exercises are conducted under Chapter VII of the United Nations Charter and focus on counter-terrorism, peacekeeping, humanitarian assistance and disaster relief (HADR), and joint warfare in various terrains (jungle, desert, mountain, semi-urban, maritime).

Bilateral Exercises — Indian Army

UPSC Tip: Garuda Shakti is with Indonesia (Army/Special Forces). Exercise Garuda (without “Shakti”) is with France (Air Force). This is a common trap in MCQs.

UPSC Tip: Exercise KAZIND was originally called Prabal Dostyk (editions 1-2). It was upgraded to company level and renamed KAZIND from the 3rd edition (2018 onwards).

Bilateral Exercises — Indian Navy

UPSC Tip: SIMBEX (started 1994) is India’s longest-running uninterrupted bilateral naval exercise with any country — longer than even Malabar (started 1992 but was intermittent in early years).

UPSC Tip: Konkan 2025 was the first-ever exercise featuring both nations’ Carrier Strike Groups — India’s INS Vikrant and UK’s HMS Prince of Wales operating together.

Bilateral Exercises — Indian Air Force

UPSC Tip: India has two air exercises with Japan — Shinyuu Maitri (transport aircraft, started 2018) and Veer Guardian (fighter aircraft, started 2023). Do not confuse them.

UPSC Tip: India has three exercises with France across all three services — Shakti (Army), Varuna (Navy), Garuda (Air Force). This trio is frequently asked in Prelims.

Multilateral Exercises

India-Hosted Exercises (Where India Is the Host)

India hosts several major exercises, demonstrating its growing role as a net security provider in the Indo-Pacific:

Quick Revision — Exercises Grouped by Service

Indian Army Exercises

Indian Navy Exercises

Indian Air Force Exercises

Tri-Service / Joint Exercises

India’s Own (Internal) Exercises

These are conducted by Indian armed forces domestically to validate war preparedness and joint operability. No foreign participation.

Key Points for UPSC

Oldest Exercises

• Malabar (Navy, 1992) — India’s oldest ongoing military exercise with any foreign country (India-USA; now Quad)
• Varuna (Navy, 1993) — India-France naval cooperation started in 1993; formally named “Varuna” in 2001
• Naseem Al Bahr (Navy, 1993) — India-Oman, one of India’s oldest naval exercises
• SIMBEX (Navy, 1994) — India-Singapore; India’s longest uninterrupted bilateral naval exercise (32nd edition in 2025)
• MILAN (Navy, 1995) — India-hosted multilateral; grew from 4 nations (1995) to 51 nations (2024)
• Lamitiye (Army, 2001) — India-Seychelles; one of India’s oldest bilateral army exercises

Recently Inaugurated Exercises

• IN-RoKN (India-South Korea, Navy, 2025) — First-ever bilateral naval exercise between India and South Korea
• Sada Tanseeq (India-Saudi Arabia, Army, 2024) — Maiden joint army exercise between India and Saudi Arabia
• CINBAX (India-Cambodia, Army, 2024) — Inaugural joint military exercise between India and Cambodia
• Talisman Sabre (Multilateral, 2025) — India’s first participation in Australia’s largest military exercise
• Tarang Shakti (Multilateral, 2024) — India’s first-ever hosted multinational air exercise
• Veer Guardian (India-Japan, Air Force, 2023) — First bilateral air exercise between India and Japan

Suspended / Disrupted Exercises

• Hand-in-Hand (India-China, Army) — Started 2007; suspended in 2017 after the Doklam standoff; briefly resumed 2018-2019; suspended again after the Galwan Valley clash (June 2020); not held since
• INDRA (India-Russia, Tri-service) — Naval exercise paused after Russia-Ukraine war (2022); resumed in November 2023 (13th edition); 14th edition held March-April 2025; Army exercise also resumed in October 2025
• Malabar — Was bilateral (India-USA) until 2007 when Japan, Singapore, Australia joined; scaled back in 2008 due to Chinese pressure; Japan became permanent partner in 2015; Australia re-joined in 2020 after Galwan crisis
• Sampriti (India-Bangladesh) — Last held October 2023 (11th edition); has not resumed since

Countries Where India Has Exercises Across All Three Services

France (complete trio):

Oman (complete trio):

Singapore (four exercises):

Japan (five exercises):

USA (the most comprehensive):

Common MCQ Traps

• Garuda = France (Air Force) vs. Garuda Shakti = Indonesia (Army/Special Forces) — different exercises entirely
• Shinyuu Maitri = Japan (Air Force, transport) vs. Veer Guardian = Japan (Air Force, fighter) — two separate air exercises with the same country
• INDRA = Russia (started as Navy in 2003; became tri-service from 2017) vs. Indradhanush = UK (Air Force)
• Desert Knight = France + UAE (Trilateral Air) vs. Desert Flag = UAE (Multilateral Air) vs. Desert Cyclone = UAE (Bilateral Army) — three different exercises involving UAE
• Naseem Al Bahr = Oman (Navy) vs. Al Najah = Oman (Army) vs. Eastern Bridge = Oman (Air Force) — India has exercises with Oman in all three services
• SIMBEX = Singapore (Navy, started 1994) — often confused with Malabar for “oldest” exercise; SIMBEX is longest uninterrupted, Malabar is oldest by start date
• Malabar started as bilateral (India-USA, 1992) but is now a Quad exercise — do not call it “bilateral”
• Talisman Sabre (not “Tasman Saber”) = Australia-led multinateral; India joined for the first time in 2025
• KAZIND was originally called Prabal Dostyk — renamed after the 2nd edition; same exercise, different name
• Samudra Shakti = Indonesia (Navy) vs. Harimau Shakti = Malaysia (Army) — different “Shakti” exercises with different countries
• Cope India = USA (Air Force, held in India only) vs. Red Flag = USA (Air Force, held in Alaska) — India participates in both but they are different exercises

UPSC Relevance

Prelims: Exercise names matched with partner countries, service branch (Army/Navy/Air Force), oldest/largest exercises, suspended exercises, recently inaugurated exercises, multilateral vs bilateral classification. Mains GS-2: Defence diplomacy and its role in India’s strategic partnerships; QUAD and Indo-Pacific security architecture; India-France-Japan-Australia defence cooperation; India’s neighbourhood-first and Act East policies. Mains GS-3: India’s security challenges; role of armed forces; defence modernisation and joint interoperability.

Facts Corner – Knowledgepedia

Key Numbers:

• India conducts military exercises with 50+ countries annually
• MILAN 2024 — 51 participating nations at Visakhapatnam; India’s largest hosted naval exercise
• Tarang Shakti 2024 — 11 nations with aircraft, 18 observer nations, ~150 aircraft; India’s first hosted multinational air exercise
• RIMPAC — World’s largest maritime exercise; 29 nations in 2024; India first joined in 2014 (observer since 2006)
• Talisman Sabre 2025 — 19 nations, 30,000+ personnel; India’s first participation
• Malabar — Started 1992 (India-USA); 29th edition held in 2025 near Guam; now involves all four Quad nations
• SIMBEX — 32nd edition held in 2025; India’s longest uninterrupted bilateral naval exercise (since 1994)
• Kakadu 2026 — 17th edition; 19 nations; INS Nilgiri (Project 17A) participated; included International Fleet Review in Sydney

Exercises with France (All Three Services):

• Army: Shakti (started 2011; 8th edition in 2025)
• Navy: Varuna (started 1993, named Varuna in 2001; 23rd edition in 2025)
• Air Force: Garuda (started 2003; 8th edition in 2025)

Exercises with Oman (All Three Services):

• Army: Al Najah (started 2015; 5th edition in 2024)
• Navy: Naseem Al Bahr (started 1993; 14th edition in 2024)
• Air Force: Eastern Bridge (started 2009; 7th edition in 2024)

Exercises with Japan (All Services):

• Army: Dharma Guardian (started 2018; 7th edition in 2026)
• Navy: JIMEX (started 2012; 6th edition in 2025)
• Coast Guard: Sahyog Kaijin (started 2006)
• Air Force: Shinyuu Maitri (started 2018) and Veer Guardian (started 2023)

Exercises with USA (Most Comprehensive):

• Army: Yudh Abhyas (started 2004; 21st edition in 2025)
• Special Forces: Vajra Prahar (started 2010; 16th edition in 2026)
• Navy: Malabar (started 1992; now Quad; 29th edition in 2025)
• Navy (EOD): SALVEX (started 2005; 7th edition in 2023)
• Air Force: Cope India (started 2004)
• Tri-service: Tiger Triumph (started 2019; 4th iteration in 2025)
• Counter-terrorism: Tarkash (NSG + US SOF)

Newly Inaugurated Exercises (2023-2025):

• IN-RoKN (India-South Korea Naval, 2025) — first bilateral naval exercise
• Sada Tanseeq (India-Saudi Arabia Army, 2024) — maiden joint army exercise
• CINBAX (India-Cambodia Army, 2024) — inaugural tabletop wargame
• Veer Guardian (India-Japan Air Force, 2023) — first bilateral fighter exercise
• Tarang Shakti (India-hosted Multinational Air, 2024) — first Indian multinational air exercise

Suspended Exercises:

• Hand-in-Hand (India-China): Last held 2019; suspended after Galwan Valley clash (June 2020)
• INDRA Tri-service (India-Russia): Paused 2022 after Russia-Ukraine war; naval component resumed Nov 2023; army resumed Oct 2025
• Sampriti (India-Bangladesh): Last held Oct 2023; not resumed since

Other Relevant Facts:

• Most exercises are conducted under Chapter VII of the United Nations Charter
• Andaman and Nicobar Command conducts Exercise Kavach — tri-service island defence drill
• TROPEX is India’s largest internal exercise — involves Navy, Army, Air Force, and Coast Guard; lasts ~3 months (Jan-Mar)
• Gagan Shakti (IAF) activates assets from Ladakh to the Indian Ocean — held once every 5 years; last held 2018
• India’s first multinational air exercise on home soil was Tarang Shakti (August-September 2024)
• Konkan 2025 was the first exercise to feature Carrier Strike Groups from both India (INS Vikrant) and UK (HMS Prince of Wales)
• Red Flag 2024 was the first time IAF deployed Rafale jets in the exercise (at Eielson AFB, Alaska)
• AFINDEX (India-Africa, started 2019) trains up to 23 African nations in UN peacekeeping at Pune
• IMT TRILAT (India-Mozambique-Tanzania, started 2022) is India’s trilateral naval exercise in the western Indian Ocean
• Cobra Gold (Thailand) is Southeast Asia’s largest military exercise — India participates in selected activities including humanitarian assistance
• La Perouse (France-led, multilateral naval) includes Quad nations plus other Indo-Pacific partners
• Bold Kurukshetra (India-Singapore, Armour) has been held since 2005 — one of India’s oldest army exercises with an ASEAN nation

Sources: PIB, Indian Navy, Indian Air Force, Ministry of Defence