Military diplomacy in top gear with back-to-back exercises for the three Services

US Army and Indian Army during the joint India-US exercise ‘Yudh Abhyas’, in Auli in Uttarakhand, Monday, November 28, 2022. | Photo Credit: PTI

In the last few months, India’s military diplomacy has been in full swing with back-to-back military exercises from countries far and wide for all three Services. India-US bilateral Army exercise Yudh Abhyas will begin at the Mahajan field firing range in Rajasthan on Monday (September 9, 2024). Not far away, Phase-II of the Indian Air Force’s (IAF) largest multilateral exercise Tarang Shakti was conducted in Jodhpur with eight countries, including India participating in aircraft and 17 countries as observers.

The iconic A-10 Thunderbird close air support aircraft flew in Indian airspace for the first time as the US conducted the exercise alongside F-16 jets. Countries that deploy the aircraft include Australia, Greece, Japan, Singapore, Sri Lanka, the UAE and the US, Bangladesh, which is slated to deploy the C-130 transport aircraft, has declined against the backdrop of recent domestic developments.

“Tarang Shakti: Power for unity! The 25th Fighter Squadron A-10 Thunderbolt II and C-17 Globemaster III deployed at Joint Base Lewis-McChord demonstrated their capabilities in India,” the Hawaii-based US Pacific Air Force said on social media ‘X’.

The Malabar naval exercise involving India, Australia, Japan and the US is scheduled to take place off the coast of Visakhapatnam in the first half of October. Soon after that, a contingent of mechanized infantry of the Indian Army will go to Russia for the Indra bilateral exercise.

The US contingent is the largest

This year’s Yudh Abhyas will feature one of the largest US contingents in the exercise with around 600 personnel and the US Army will also deploy Stryker infantry vehicles and M142 HIMARS (High Mobility Artillery Rocket System). Incidentally, Stryker vehicles are currently being tested by the Indian Army in various conditions, and several hundred vehicles of various variants will be purchased, including some equipped with Javelin Anti-Tank Guided Missiles (ATGM).

Talks to license the vehicle are at a “relatively early” stage, officials said. The US had previously shown Stryker as well as Javelin ATGMs to the Indian Army during bilateral exercises and the Javelin was extensively evaluated by the Indian Army although the deal ultimately fell through. Today, India conducts more military exercises with the United States than with any other country.

Other major Army engagements include the 10th edition of the Mitra Shakti bilateral exercise with Sri Lanka held from August 12-25 at the Army Training School, Maduru Oya, Sri Lanka. Furthermore, the Indian Army deployed a contingent of 40 personnel for the 21st edition of the multinational peacekeeping exercise Khaan Quest hosted by Mongolia from July 27 to August 9. The training has around 430 participants from 23 countries, including Australia, Canada, China, Japan, Türkiye, USA and England among others.

The Indian Navy is busy building bridges of friendship at sea. Russian naval ship Varyag and Marshal Shaposhnikov opened in Kochi from August 6-9. At the same time, Phase-I of the Tarang Shakti exercise was held in Sulur from August 6-14 involving Germany, France, Spain and the UK Each phase of Tarang Shakti had the participation of 70-80 air assets, both IAF and participating forces. Phase-II was conducted in Jodhpur from 1st to 14th September.

The Commander of the Russian Navy, Admiral Aleksandr Alekseyevich Moiseyev, is on an official visit to India from August 19 to 22. Around that time, the Commander of the Brazilian Navy, Admiral Marcos Sampaio Olsen, also visited India from August 19 to August 22. 24.

Indian Navy Ship Shivalik participation ended in the Rim of the Pacific (RIMPAC) exercise organized by the US Navy in Guam held from June 27 to August 1. The Shivalik mission deployed to the South China Sea and Pacific Ocean joined RIMPAC after participating in a series of engagements. Shortly thereafter, the Indian Navy’s front-line stealth frigate, INS Tabar Commanded by Captain MR Harish was in Toulon, France from August 29 to September 1 and on departure participated in the 22nd edition of India-France bilateral Exercise Varuna from September 2 to 4 in the Mediterranean Sea. INS Tabar has been on a long deployment to Africa and Europe and has made a series of port calls in the past few weeks before visiting France.

The Indian Navy also deployed the P-8I long-range maritime patrol aircraft for the Varuna exercise, which, it said, was its first deployment in Europe. “This deployment comes 63 years after the Indian Navy’s Alizé aircraft, operational since then. INS Vikrantlast flown at Hyères Air Base,” the Navy said as the P-8I crashed at 125 Air Base Istres-Le Tubé, France.

Before the start of Tarang Shakti, the IAF participated in the Pitch Black exercise hosted by Australia from July 12 to August 2 and also in the Red Flag exercise hosted by the US in June, both multilateral exercises. These are some of the major war games played by the Indian military.