New Delhi | India’s largest tri-services military drill, Exercise Trishul 2025, has reaffirmed the nation’s growing preparedness for multi-domain warfare, integrating land, sea and air operations under a single, coordinated framework. Conducted from October 30 to November 13 across Rajasthan, Gujarat and the northern Arabian Sea, the exercise brought together the Army, Navy and Air Force in a massive display of joint combat capability.
According to The Diplomat, the scale, timing and new operational concepts tested during Trishul make it one of India’s most significant drills in recent years. The objective was clear: to boost integrated coordination among the three services so that India can swiftly execute complex, multi-domain operations during future conflicts.
More than 30,000 Army personnel, 25 naval warships and submarines, 40 IAF aircraft, and units of the Central Armed Police Forces (CAPFs) participated. Defence observers note that the exercise sends a strong message to adversaries, particularly Pakistan, by demonstrating India’s ability to carry out operations ranging from precision surgical strikes to full-scale joint campaigns.
A key highlight was the testing of the Army’s new structural formations—the Rudra Brigade, Bhairav Battalion and Ashini Platoon. These are part of the Army’s ongoing restructuring model aimed at building faster, more agile and more lethal combat units. Trishul provided a real-world environment to validate these formations under diverse battlefield conditions.
The exercise also included several sub-drills such as Brahmashira, Akhand Prahar, Marujwala and AmphEx-25, each designed to assess combat readiness in deserts, marshy zones and coastal waters. These drills evaluated capabilities in rapid mobilisation, joint firepower, amphibious warfare and integrated battlefield management.
Analysts say Trishul reflects India’s Dynamic Response Strategy (DRS)—a framework under which political leadership has a wider range of calibrated military options tailored to mission requirements. Far from scaling down its capacity for large-scale joint operations, India has demonstrated that it is strengthening them with greater precision, flexibility and speed.
Exercise Trishul 2025 underscores India’s evolving operational posture and its resolve to stay ready for any conflict scenario across multiple domains.
