Exercise Trishul 2025: India’s Tri-Service Power Play Along the Western Frontier
Amid escalating tensions along the India-Pakistan border, the Indian Armed Forces have launched Exercise Trishul 2025 (TSE-2025), a high-stakes tri-service drill underscoring unified combat readiness. Kicking off on October 30 and running until November 10, this 12-day wargame—led by the Indian Navy’s Western Naval Command—spans the creek and desert sectors of Rajasthan and Gujarat, extending into the northern Arabian Sea. With over 10,000 troops from the Army’s Southern Command, Navy’s Western Naval Command, and Air Force’s South Western Command, plus support from the Indian Coast Guard (ICG) and Border Security Force (BSF), Trishul signals a robust post-Operation Sindoor doctrine.
Post the May 2025 Operation Sindoor—a coordinated strike dismantling terror infrastructure in PoK following the Pahalgam attack—the exercise refines joint maneuvers, integrating land, air, sea, cyber, and space domains. It deploys elite assets like tanks, frigates, destroyers, Apache helicopters, BrahMos missiles, Para SF commandos, MARCOS, and Garud forces, simulating amphibious assaults and integrated fires. Pakistan’s response—multiple NOTAMs restricting airspace and alerts for its Bahawalpur Strike Corps—highlights the drill’s deterrent edge near the disputed Sir Creek, a 96-km tidal flashpoint in the Rann of Kutch.
Strategic Focus: Multi-Domain Synergy and Aatmanirbhar Bharat
Trishul’s core aim is to validate interoperability, theatre logistics, and indigenous tech in a two-front threat scenario. Key sub-exercises include Trinetra for EW and counter-drone ops, and Mahagujraj for air-ground integration. It emphasizes real-time ISR, cyber defense, and EW jamming, countering hybrid threats like drone incursions.
Key Focus Areas
| Focus Area | Description | Strategic Relevance |
|---|---|---|
| Joint ISR, EW, and Cyber Ops | Simulations of surveillance, jamming, and network disruptions using AI-driven C4ISR. | Counters digital/hybrid threats from adversarial assets; enhances decision cycles. |
| Indigenous Systems Validation | Deployment of Akash-NG SAMs, BrahMos, and DRDO EW suites (75%+ local content). | Aligns with Atmanirbhar Bharat; tests self-reliance in contested environments. |
| Multi-Domain Warfare | Amphibious landings via INS Jalashwa/LCU vessels; carrier ops; air strikes. | Refines land-sea-air fusion for Sir Creek/Rann defenses; simulates blockades. |
| Sir Creek & Rann of Kutch Focus | Rapid response drills against shelling/incursions in the disputed tidal creek. | Deterrence vs. Pakistan’s infrastructure buildup (mini-cantonments, airstrips). |
| Inter-Agency Logistics | Coordinated command, comms, and sustainment across services/agencies. | Boosts unified ops; lessons from Sindoor for calibrated escalation. |
Pakistan’s Reaction and Geopolitical Echoes
Pakistan’s heightened alerts—naval patrols in the Arabian Sea and corps mobilization—view Trishul as pressure on its maritime/land frontiers. Defence Minister Rajnath Singh’s October visit to Bhuj Airbase warned: “If Pakistan dares in Sir Creek, the reply will change history and geography.” This echoes 1965’s Lahore push, positioning the creek as a potential southern diversionary front.
Analysts see Trishul as a “measured message” of deterrence without escalation, operationalizing joint reforms. It also spotlights export potential for indigenous systems and QUAD interoperability for Indo-Pacific stability. No live-fire escalations are planned, but observers from allies may attend.
Looking Ahead: Unity in Trishul
As HQ Integrated Defence Staff tweeted: “Trishul signifies the Strength in Unity.” This drill not only hones tri-service synergy but fortifies India’s western shield amid volatile borders. Stay tuned for live updates as Trishul unfolds.
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