Tri-services exercise to begin along Pak border today

A major tri-services military exercise, ‘Trishul’, will begin on Monday featuring large-scale operations along the India-Pakistan border in Rajasthan and Gujarat, as well as maritime and amphibious operations in the North Arabian Sea near the disputed Sir Creek area.

The Ministry of Defence (MoD) said the exercise would involve the Army, Navy and Air Force, and aims to validate and synchronise operational procedures across the three services to enable joint, effect-based operations.

Key objectives include enhancing interoperability of platforms and infrastructure, strengthening network integration and advancing jointness in operations, the ministry said.

The exercise will witness large-scale deployment of Indian Navy warships, Indian Air Force fighter and support aircraft, and amphibious operations involving the amphibious components of the Army and Navy, including the Landing Platform Dock INS Jalashwa and Landing Craft Utility (LCU) vessels.

It will also validate joint Intelligence, Surveillance and Reconnaissance (ISR), Electronic Warfare (EW) and Cyber Warfare capabilities. The Navy’s aircraft carrier will operate jointly with shore-based IAF assets during the drills.

The office of the Chief of Defence Staff (CDS) posted on X, stating: “Indian armed forces are conducting ‘Ex-Trishul’, a major tri-services operational validation in the Western sector. The exercise hones joint operations and interoperability among the Army, Navy and the Indian Air Force.”

The coordinated drills will include troops from the Army’s Pune-headquartered Southern Command, the Navy’s Western Command (Mumbai) and the IAF’s South Western Air Command (Gandhinagar). The Indian Coast Guard, Border Security Force (BSF) and other central agencies are also participating in significant numbers.