EXERCISE TRISHUL AND BRASS TACKS

NEWS

• India’s three defence services have launched Exercise Trishul, a large-scale tri-services military drill covering Sir Creek, Rann of Kutch, Saurashtra coast, and Rajasthan desert.
• The exercise follows Operation Sindoor and has raised alertness in Pakistan’s military—drawing parallels with the 1987 Exercise BRASS TACKS IV, one of India’s largest peacetime military manoeuvres.

HIGHLIGHTS

Exercise Trishul: Key Highlights

• Multi-domain Operations: Integrates Army, Navy, and Air Force operations across land, sea, and air, covering the Gujarat coast and northern Arabian Sea.
• Participating Formations:
  • Army Southern Command
  • Western Naval Command
  • South Western Air Command
  • Supported by Coast Guard, BSF, and central agencies.
• Objective: Enhance jointness, interoperability, and real-time coordination among services across diverse terrains.
• Major Components:
  • Deployment of warships, fighter aircraft, amphibious forces, including INS Jalashwa and LCUs.
  • Focus on ISR (Intelligence, Surveillance & Reconnaissance), Electronic Warfare (EW), and Cyber Warfare.
• Spirit of “JAI”: Embodies Jointness, Atmanirbharta (self-reliance), and Innovation—underscoring India’s modern defence philosophy.

Exercise BRASS TACKS IV (1987): Lessons from History

• Conducted along the India-Pakistan border (Punjab & Rajasthan) under K. Sundarji.
• Aimed at testing administrative, logistics, and command capabilities in large formations.
• The CIA analysis viewed it as part of India’s annual training cycle, not war preparation.
• Like Trishul, Pakistan reacted with heightened military alertness due to perceived threats.

 Beyond Trishul: India’s Recent Joint Exercises

• Yudh Abhyas (India–US): 21st edition in Alaska, 2025.
• Mitra Shakti (India–Sri Lanka): 10th edition, Maduru Oya, 2024.
• PASSEX (India–UK): June 2025, North Arabian Sea.
• Nomadic Elephant (India–Mongolia): 17th edition, Ulaanbaatar, 2025.
• Dustlik (India–Uzbekistan): 6th edition, Pune, April 2025.