Military exercises of India represent the country’s strategic defence partnerships, interoperability goals, and combat readiness — covering bilateral drills with the USA, Russia, France, Japan, and neighbours, as well as multilateral exercises like Malabar and MILAN.
India conducts over 100 military exercises annually across Army, Navy, Air Force, and tri-service formats. Questions on exercise names, participating countries, branches of armed forces, frequency, and strategic significance appear regularly in UPSC Prelims, SSC CGL, NDA, CDS, and State PSC exams under Defence and Current Affairs. This page gives you a complete, country-wise and service-wise list of India’s most important military exercises with exam-ready facts for 2026.
⚡ Quick Facts
- Malabar — India’s most important naval exercise; now India + USA + Japan + Australia (four Quad nations); started 1992 (India–USA bilateral); Japan joined 2015; Australia joined 2020.
- Yudh Abhyas — India–USA bilateral Army exercise; “War Practice” in Hindi; one of the world’s largest bilateral land warfare exercises; held annually alternating between India and USA.
- MILAN — India-hosted multilateral naval exercise at Visakhapatnam; 50+ navies; “MILAN” = meeting/coming together; biennial; distinct from Malabar (which is combat-focused Quad exercise).
- Tiger Triumph — India’s only Tri-Service exercise with USA (Army + Navy + Air Force); primary focus = Humanitarian Assistance and Disaster Relief (HADR) + amphibious operations.
- Hand-in-Hand — India–China bilateral Army exercise; suspended since June 2020 after the Galwan Valley clash in Ladakh (20 Indian soldiers killed); India–China border disengagement completed Oct 2024 — exercise resumption possible as relations normalise.
India uses “Shakti” in multiple exercise names. “Shakti” alone (no qualifier) = India–France bilateral Army exercise. Other Shakti exercises: Mitra Shakti = India–Sri Lanka Army; Garuda Shakti = India–Indonesia Special Forces; Harimau Shakti = India–Malaysia Army; Samudra Shakti = India–Indonesia Navy. Exam questions often ask “Shakti exercise is held between India and ___” — the answer depends on whether a prefix is present.
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🪖 Military Exercises of India — Complete List
| # ↕ | Exercise Name ↕ | Partner Country | Service | Frequency | Key Feature / Exam Fact |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Yudh Abhyas | USA | Army | Annual | “War Practice” in Hindi; one of world’s largest bilateral land warfare exercises; alternates India/USA |
| 2 | Vajra Prahar | USA | Special Forces | Annual | Special Operations Forces exchange; counter-terrorism focus; alternates India/USA |
| 3 | Tiger Triumph Only Tri-Svc w/ USA | USA | Tri-Service | Annual | India’s ONLY Tri-Service exercise with USA; focus = HADR + amphibious operations; first held 2019 |
| 4 | Malabar Quad Navies | USA + Japan + Australia | Navy | Annual | India’s most important naval exercise; all four Quad nations; started 1992 India–US; Japan 2015; Australia 2020 |
| 5 | Cope India | USA | Air Force | Intermittent | Fighter pilot exchange; USAF with Indian Air Force; alternates India/USA |
| 6 | Red Flag | USA (India participates) | Air Force | Annual | World’s largest air combat exercise; hosted by USAF at Nellis AFB, Nevada; India participates |
| 7 | Tarkash | USA | Special Forces | Occasional | Counter-terrorism; India’s NSG (National Security Guard) with US SWAT teams |
| 8 | Indra | Russia | Tri-Service | Annual | Oldest India–Russia military exercise; started as Army exercise; now Tri-Service since 2017; alternates India/Russia |
| 9 | Avia Indra | Russia | Air Force | Occasional | Air Force component of India–Russia Indra series; fighter aircraft exchange |
| 10 | Shakti India–France Army | France | Army | Biennial | Bilateral Army exercise with France; counter-terrorism; France = India’s key strategic partner in Indo-Pacific |
| 11 | Varuna | France | Navy | Annual | India–France naval exercise; Varuna = God of Seas (Sanskrit); anti-submarine + anti-air warfare |
| 12 | Garuda | France | Air Force | Biennial | India–France air exercise; Garuda = Eagle (India’s national bird, Sanskrit); air superiority; Rafale aircraft context |
| 13 | Ajeya Warrior | UK | Army | Biennial | India–UK bilateral land warfare; counter-insurgency focus; alternates India/UK |
| 14 | Konkan | UK | Navy | Annual | India–UK naval exercise; anti-piracy; anti-submarine warfare; named after Konkan coast |
| 15 | Indradhanush | UK | Air Force | Biennial | India–UK air exercise; Indradhanush = “Rainbow” (Hindi); IAF and RAF (Royal Air Force) |
| 16 | Austrahind | Australia | Army | Biennial | India–Australia bilateral Army exercise; Austrahind = Australia + Hind (India) |
| 17 | AUSINDEX | Australia | Navy | Biennial | India–Australia naval exercise; AUSINDEX = Australia India Exercise; anti-submarine warfare focus |
| 18 | Pitch Black | Australia (India participates) | Air Force | Biennial | Major multilateral air exercise hosted by Australia at RAAF Base Darwin; India participates |
| 19 | Dharma Guardian | Japan | Army | Annual | India–Japan bilateral land warfare; jungle warfare focus; Dharma Guardian = Protector of Dharma |
| 20 | JIMEX | Japan | Navy | Annual | Japan India Maritime Exercise; anti-submarine + guided weapon drills; alternates India/Japan |
| 21 | Veer Guardian | Japan | Air Force | Annual | India–Japan air exercise; started 2023; IAF with Japan Air Self-Defence Force (JASDF) |
| 22 | Sampriti | Bangladesh | Army | Annual | India–Bangladesh joint Army exercise; counter-insurgency; Sampriti = harmony (Sanskrit) |
| 23 | Mitra Shakti | Sri Lanka | Army | Annual | India–Sri Lanka joint Army exercise; Mitra Shakti = Friendly Power (Sanskrit); counter-terrorism |
| 24 | Surya Kiran | Nepal | Army | Annual | India–Nepal Army exercise; most important bilateral with Nepal; Surya Kiran = Sun Rays (Sanskrit) |
| 25 | SLINEX | Sri Lanka | Navy | Annual | Sri Lanka India Naval Exercise; SLINEX = SL + IN + EX; bilateral naval cooperation |
| 26 | Ekuverin | Maldives | Army | Annual | India–Maldives joint military exercise; Ekuverin = Friends in Dhivehi (Maldivian language) |
| 27 | Dosti | Maldives + Sri Lanka | Tri-Service | Biennial | India–Maldives–Sri Lanka trilateral Coast Guard exercise; Dosti = Friendship (Hindi/Urdu) |
| 28 | SIMBEX | Singapore | Navy | Annual | Singapore India Maritime Bilateral Exercise; started 1994 — one of India’s oldest ongoing naval exercises |
| 29 | Samudra Shakti | Indonesia | Navy | Biennial | India–Indonesia naval exercise; Samudra = Ocean (Sanskrit); Shakti = Power |
| 30 | Garuda Shakti | Indonesia | Special Forces | Biennial | India–Indonesia Special Forces exercise; Garuda = Eagle; counter-terrorism focus |
| 31 | Harimau Shakti | Malaysia | Army | Annual | India–Malaysia Army exercise; Harimau = Tiger (Malay); jungle warfare focus |
| 32 | Bold Kurukshetra | Singapore | Army | Annual | India–Singapore armoured corps exercise; reference to Battle of Kurukshetra (Mahabharata) |
| 33 | Desert Cyclone | UAE | Army | Biennial | India–UAE bilateral Army exercise; desert warfare operations |
| 34 | Desert Eagle | UAE | Air Force | Biennial | India–UAE bilateral Air Force exercise; IAF with UAE Air Force |
| 35 | Cyclone | Egypt | Special Forces | Biennial | India–Egypt special forces exercise; counter-terrorism focus; recent addition to India’s exercise calendar |
| 36 | Nomadic Elephant | Mongolia | Army | Annual | India–Mongolia Army exercise; counter-terrorism; Nomadic = Mongolia’s tradition; Elephant = India’s symbol |
| 37 | Kazind | Kazakhstan | Army | Annual | India–Kazakhstan Army exercise; Kazind = Kazakhstan + India |
| 38 | Prabal Dostyk | Kazakhstan | Army | Annual | Another India–Kazakhstan Army exercise; Dostyk = Friendship (Kazakh); Prabal = Powerful (Sanskrit) |
| 39 | Dustlik | Uzbekistan | Army | Annual | India–Uzbekistan Army exercise; Dustlik = Friendship (Uzbek language) |
| 40 | Khanjar | Kyrgyzstan | Special Forces | Annual | India–Kyrgyzstan SF exercise; Khanjar = Sword/Dagger (Arabic); counter-terrorism |
| 41 | Al Nagah | Oman | Army | Biennial | India–Oman bilateral Army exercise; Al Nagah = The Success (Arabic) |
| 42 | Naseem Al Bahr | Oman | Navy | Biennial | India–Oman naval exercise; Naseem Al Bahr = Sea Breeze (Arabic) |
| 43 | Hand-in-Hand ⚠️ Suspended | China | Army | Suspended (since 2020; 2024 thaw ongoing) | India–China bilateral Army exercise; suspended after Galwan Valley clash (June 2020); 20 Indian soldiers killed at LAC; India–China border disengagement completed Oct 2024; resumption under discussion |
| 44 | SCO Peace Mission | SCO Members | Army | Annual | Shanghai Cooperation Organisation multilateral counter-terrorism exercise; India member since 2017 |
| 45 | MILAN India Hosts | 50+ navies (India hosts) | Navy | Biennial | India-hosted multilateral naval exercise at Visakhapatnam; MILAN = meeting/coming together; 50+ navies; started 1995 |
| 46 | Tasman Saber | USA + Australia | Tri-Service | Occasional | India–USA–Australia trilateral exercise under Quad framework; Tasman Sea + Sabre |
| 47 | Khaan Quest | USA + Mongolia + 10+ nations | Army | Annual | Mongolia-hosted multilateral peacekeeping exercise; India participates; Khaan = Khan (Mongolian) |
| 48 | Zair Al Bahr | Oman | Navy | Biennial | India–Oman naval exercise in the Gulf of Oman; maritime security cooperation |
| 49 | Shakti Indra | Russia | Army | Part of Indra series | Army sub-component of India–Russia Indra exercise; counter-terrorism operations |
| 50 | Agni Warrior | Singapore | Special Forces | Annual | India–Singapore Special Forces exchange; field training exercise; fire support focus |
🌐 Multilateral Military Exercises — India’s Participation
| # | Exercise | Countries Involved | Service | Frequency | Key Feature |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Malabar | India, USA, Japan, Australia (Quad) | Navy | Annual | India’s most strategically significant naval exercise; started 1992 bilateral; now Quad; anti-submarine, carrier ops |
| 2 | MILAN | India + 50+ navies (India hosts) | Navy | Biennial | India-hosted multilateral naval exercise at Visakhapatnam; MILAN = meeting; 50+ navies; maritime cooperation |
| 3 | Tasman Saber | India, USA, Australia | Tri-Service | Occasional | Quad trilateral exercise; Tasman Sea + Sabre |
| 4 | Pitch Black | India + Australia + 20+ countries | Air Force | Biennial (AUS hosts) | Major air exercise hosted by Australia at RAAF Darwin; India participates |
| 5 | Red Flag | USA + multiple nations (India participates) | Air Force | Annual (USA hosts) | World’s largest air combat exercise at Nellis AFB, Nevada; India participates |
| 6 | SCO Peace Mission | India + SCO member states | Army | Annual | Shanghai Cooperation Organisation counter-terrorism exercise; India SCO member since 2017 |
| 7 | ADMM Plus FTX | India + ASEAN Defence Ministers Plus | Various | Occasional | ASEAN Defence Ministers Meeting Plus framework exercise |
| 8 | Khaan Quest | USA + Mongolia + 10+ nations | Army | Annual (Mongolia hosts) | Peacekeeping operations; Mongolia-hosted; India participates |
📖 Exercise Name Meanings — Quick Reference
Exercise names are frequently tested as fill-in-the-blank or matching questions. Knowing the etymology helps you remember the partner country and exercise type simultaneously.
| Exercise Name | Meaning / Etymology | Countries |
|---|---|---|
| Yudh Abhyas | War Practice (Hindi/Sanskrit) | India–USA |
| Malabar | Named after Malabar Coast (Kerala) | India–USA–Japan–Australia |
| Indra | God Indra (King of Gods, Sanskrit) | India–Russia |
| Shakti | Power / Strength (Sanskrit) | India–France (Army) |
| Varuna | God of the Seas (Sanskrit) | India–France Navy |
| Garuda | Eagle — India’s national bird (Sanskrit) | India–France Air Force / India–Indonesia SF |
| Indradhanush | Rainbow (Hindi) | India–UK Air Force |
| Surya Kiran | Sun Rays (Sanskrit) | India–Nepal |
| Dharma Guardian | Protector of Dharma (Hindu concept) | India–Japan |
| Tasman Saber | Tasman Sea + Sabre (sword) | India–USA–Australia |
| MILAN | Meeting / Coming together (Italian/French inspired) | India hosts; 50+ navies |
| SIMBEX | Singapore India Maritime Bilateral Exercise | India–Singapore |
| Ekuverin | Friends (Dhivehi / Maldivian language) | India–Maldives |
| Dosti | Friendship (Hindi/Urdu) | India–Maldives–Sri Lanka |
| Harimau Shakti | Tiger’s Strength (Harimau = Tiger in Malay + Shakti) | India–Malaysia |
| Kazind | Kazakhstan + India (portmanteau) | India–Kazakhstan |
| Dustlik | Friendship (Uzbek language) | India–Uzbekistan |
| Khanjar | Sword / Dagger (Arabic) | India–Kyrgyzstan SF |
| Nomadic Elephant | Nomadic = Mongolia’s tradition; Elephant = India’s symbol | India–Mongolia |
| Naseem Al Bahr | Sea Breeze (Arabic) | India–Oman Navy |
| Bold Kurukshetra | Battle of Kurukshetra (Mahabharata epic) | India–Singapore Armoured |
⚖️ Compare Two Exercises
📝 Key Notes & Memory Tips
Exercise Malabar is India’s most strategically important naval exercise — it involves the Quad navies (India, USA, Japan, Australia). It started in 1992 as a bilateral India–US exercise, Japan became a permanent member in 2015, and Australia joined as a permanent member in 2020 (though it had participated as a guest earlier). The exercise covers anti-submarine warfare, anti-air warfare, maritime interdiction, and carrier operations. Each Malabar edition reflects the growing Quad security cooperation in the Indo-Pacific aimed at maintaining a free, open maritime order.
MILAN is India’s own multilateral naval exercise — hosted by India (at Visakhapatnam) and involving navies from over 50 countries. “MILAN” means “meeting” or “coming together.” It is held biennially and focuses on maritime cooperation, counter-piracy, and humanitarian assistance. Key distinction for exams: Malabar = Quad-only (4 nations), combat/anti-submarine focused; MILAN = 50+ nations, cooperative/maritime security focused. India started MILAN in 1995 initially with Southeast Asian navies.
India uses “Shakti” (Sanskrit for power/strength) in multiple exercises: Shakti alone = India–France bilateral Army exercise; Mitra Shakti = India–Sri Lanka Army; Garuda Shakti = India–Indonesia Special Forces; Harimau Shakti = India–Malaysia Army (Harimau = Tiger in Malay); Samudra Shakti = India–Indonesia Navy. This naming convention is a direct exam question — “standalone Shakti without country qualifier = France.”
Tiger Triumph is India’s only Tri-Service exercise with the USA — involving the Indian Army, Navy, and Air Force alongside their US counterparts, focused on Humanitarian Assistance and Disaster Relief (HADR) and amphibious operations. It reflects the enhanced India–US defence partnership (Major Defence Partnership status since 2016). Other India–US exercises are service-specific: Yudh Abhyas (Army), Malabar (Navy), Cope India (Air Force), Vajra Prahar (Special Forces).
Exercise Hand-in-Hand between India and China has been suspended since the Galwan Valley clash in June 2020, in which 20 Indian soldiers (and significant Chinese casualties) were killed in a brutal hand-to-hand clash at the Line of Actual Control in Ladakh. Update (2024–26): India and China reached a border disengagement agreement in October 2024; patrolling at all friction points was completed by end-October 2024, and PM Modi and President Xi met formally at BRICS Kazan. Bilateral relations are normalising — Hand-in-Hand may resume. This suspension and the Galwan context remain directly tested in exams — note the irony: an exercise named “Hand-in-Hand” suspended over a hand-to-hand clash.
USA: Yudh Abhyas (Army) + Tiger Triumph (Tri-Svc) + Malabar (Navy) + Cope India (AF)
Russia: Indra (Tri-Svc) — oldest India–Russia exercise
France: Shakti (Army) + Varuna (Navy) + Garuda (AF) — all three services covered
UK: Ajeya Warrior (Army) + Konkan (Navy) + Indradhanush = Rainbow (AF)
Japan: Dharma Guardian (Army) + JIMEX (Navy) + Veer Guardian (AF) + Malabar (Navy)
Australia: Austrahind (Army) + AUSINDEX (Navy) + Pitch Black (AF)
Malabar evolution: 1992 India–USA → 2015 Japan joins → 2020 Australia joins = all four Quad nations
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Exercise Malabar currently involves India, USA, Japan, and Australia \u2014 the four Quad nations. It started in 1992 as a bilateral India\u2013US naval exercise. Japan became a permanent member in 2015, and Australia joined as a permanent member in 2020. The exercise covers anti-submarine warfare, anti-air, and carrier operations. The Quad naval dimension makes Malabar India’s most strategically significant military exercise.
MILAN is India’s own multilateral naval exercise, hosted at Visakhapatnam, and currently involves navies from over 50 countries. “MILAN” means “meeting” or “coming together” \u2014 reflecting its cooperative spirit. It is held biennially and covers maritime security, counter-piracy, and HADR cooperation. MILAN is different from Malabar \u2014 Malabar is a Quad combat-focused exercise while MILAN is a broad multilateral maritime cooperation exercise.
Yudh Abhyas (literally “War Practice” in Hindi/Sanskrit) is one of the world’s largest bilateral land warfare exercises between India and the USA. It is held annually, alternating between India and the United States, and focuses on counter-insurgency, counter-terrorism, and combat operations in various terrain types. It is India’s most important Army-level exercise with the United States.
Exercise Hand-in-Hand \u2014 the bilateral India\u2013China Army exercise \u2014 was suspended after the Galwan Valley clash in June 2020, when Indian and Chinese soldiers engaged in a brutal hand-to-hand fight at the Line of Actual Control in Eastern Ladakh, resulting in 20 Indian soldiers killed and significant Chinese casualties. Update (2024): India and China reached a border disengagement agreement in October 2024, with patrolling restored at all LAC friction points. PM Modi and Xi Jinping met formally at BRICS Kazan. Bilateral relations are normalising and the exercise may resume.
Tiger Triumph is India’s only Tri-Service exercise with the USA, involving the Indian Army, Navy, and Air Force alongside US counterparts. Its primary focus is Humanitarian Assistance and Disaster Relief (HADR) combined with amphibious operations \u2014 practicing the coordinated delivery of aid, evacuation operations, and joint disaster response in coastal environments. It reflects the India\u2013US Major Defence Partnership and was first held in 2019.
✅ Key Takeaways
❓ Frequently Asked Questions
Exercise Malabar is India’s most strategically important naval exercise, involving the four Quad nations — India, USA, Japan, and Australia. It began in 1992 as a bilateral India–US exercise, with Japan joining as a permanent member in 2015 and Australia in 2020. The exercise involves complex naval operations including anti-submarine warfare, aircraft carrier operations, anti-air warfare, and maritime interdiction. Malabar is significant because it directly reflects the growing Quad security architecture in the Indo-Pacific — aimed at maintaining a free, open, and rules-based maritime order in the region, particularly given China’s growing naval assertiveness.
India conducts over 100 military exercises annually — the highest in South Asia — involving Army, Navy, Air Force, Special Forces, and Tri-Service formats with partners across the world. Key partners include the USA (Yudh Abhyas, Malabar, Tiger Triumph), Russia (Indra), France (Shakti, Varuna, Garuda), UK (Konkan, Indradhanush), Japan (Dharma Guardian, JIMEX, Malabar), Australia (AUSINDEX), and neighbours like Nepal (Surya Kiran), Sri Lanka (Mitra Shakti, SLINEX), Bangladesh (Sampriti), and Maldives (Ekuverin). India also hosts the multilateral MILAN naval exercise with 50+ navies.
India uses “Shakti” (Sanskrit for power/strength) as a naming element in multiple bilateral exercises, reflecting India’s desire to build strong defence partnerships. Key Shakti exercises include: Shakti (India–France bilateral Army exercise), Mitra Shakti (India–Sri Lanka Army), Garuda Shakti (India–Indonesia Special Forces), Harimau Shakti (India–Malaysia Army), and Samudra Shakti (India–Indonesia Navy). This consistent naming convention is occasionally tested in competitive exams, and the “standalone Shakti” without country qualifier refers specifically to the India–France bilateral Army exercise.
Military exercises appear in UPSC Prelims (Current Affairs + Defence), SSC CGL, Banking PO, NDA, CDS, and State PSC exams. Common patterns include: Malabar (Quad navies; 1992 origin; Australia 2020), MILAN (India hosts; 50+ navies), Yudh Abhyas (India–USA; Army; largest bilateral land exercise), Tiger Triumph (India–USA Tri-Service; HADR), Indra (India–Russia Tri-Service), Shakti (India–France Army), Varuna (India–France Navy), Garuda (India–France Air Force), Surya Kiran (India–Nepal), Hand-in-Hand (suspended 2020; 2024 disengagement completed; resumption possible), Dharma Guardian (India–Japan Army), and AUSINDEX (India–Australia Navy). Recent exercises with new partners like UAE, Egypt, and Central Asian nations are high-frequency current affairs.
