11-Apr-2025
Important Military Exercises
Some Important Military Exercises
| 
 Exercise  | 
 Participating Countries  | 
 Key Features  | 
| 
 VARUNA  | 
 India-France  | 
 Naval exercise; Annual since 2001; Enhances interoperability and maritime security  | 
| 
 Bongosagar  | 
 India-Bangladesh  | 
 Naval exercise; Started in 2019; Includes Coordinated Patrols  | 
| 
 Sampriti  | 
 India-Bangladesh  | 
 Joint military exercise; Focus on counterterrorism and disaster response  | 
| 
 KHANJAR  | 
 India-Kyrgyzstan  | 
 Special Forces exercise; Annual since 2011; Counter-terrorism in urban/high-altitude terrain  | 
| 
 Dharma Guardian  | 
 India-Japan  | 
 Bilateral military exercise; Annual; Includes counter-terrorism and UNPKO training  | 
| 
 CYCLONE  | 
 India-Egypt  | 
 Special Forces exercise; Annual; Focus on counter-terrorism in desert terrain  | 
| 
 Devil Strike  | 
 India (Army & Air Force)  | 
 Joint internal exercise; Involves elite airborne soldiers  | 
| 
 HARIMAU SHAKTI  | 
 India-Malaysia  | 
 Joint military exercise; Focus on jungle warfare and counter-insurgency  | 
| 
 Surya Kiran  | 
 India-Nepal  | 
 Military exercise; Annual; Focus on CT operations and HADR  | 
| 
 GARUD SHAKTI  | 
 India-Indonesia  | 
 Special Forces exercise; Enhances interoperability and cooperation  | 
| 
 VAJRA PRAHAR  | 
 India-USA  | 
 Military exercise; Special Forces; Focus on special ops and interoperability  | 
| 
 VINBAX  | 
 India-Vietnam  | 
 Bilateral army exercise; Started in 2018; Peacekeeping and HADR focus  | 
| 
 Naseem-Al-Bahr  | 
 India-Oman  | 
 Naval exercise; Started in 1993; Two phases: Harbour & Sea  | 
| 
 JIMEX  | 
 India-Japan  | 
 Maritime exercise; Enhances maritime cooperation and Indo-Pacific security  | 
| 
 IBSAMAR  | 
 India-Brazil-South Africa  | 
 Trilateral naval exercise; Biennial; Focus on maritime threats  | 
| 
 MALABAR  | 
 India-USA-Japan-Australia  | 
 Naval exercise; Quad nations; Enhances security in Indo-Pacific  | 
| 
 KAZIND  | 
 India-Kazakhstan  | 
 Military exercise; Focus on joint operations and sharing best practices  | 
| 
 Sanyukt Vimochan  | 
 India + 9 foreign countries  | 
 HADR exercise; Enhances interagency coordination and response  | 
| 
 YUDH ABHYAS  | 
 India-USA  | 
 Military exercise; Annual since 2004; Counter-terrorism and UN operations  |