In a significant demonstration of India’s
evolving defence capabilities, New Delhi has launched Exercise Trishul,
a major coordinated tri-services wargame across the western sector. Running
from October 30 to November 10, the exercise involves the Indian Army,
Indian Air Force, and Indian Navy, and has drawn wide attention as the first
major joint exercise since Operation Sindoor. A NOTAM (Notice to
Airmen) has been issued to alert civil aviation about restricted airspaces
during the drills. (timesofindia.indiatimes.com)
Trishul is explicitly designed to test and
validate the lessons and operational flexibilities gleaned from past
operations, especially the synergy achieved during Operation Sindoor.
(insightsonindia.com)
Exercise
Trishul: Theatre, Terrain & Tactics
The geographic scope of Trishul is ambitious
and varied. Operations will span creeks, deserts, and coastal zones,
with maneuvers such as amphibious landings off the Saurashtra coast,
offensive thrusts in desert terrain, and joint multi-domain warfare
drills. The Sir Creek sector in Gujarat a marshy, disputed frontier zone with
Pakistan figures prominently as a staging ground.
(timesofindia.indiatimes.com)
These contours reflect Trishul’s aim: not mere
symbolic display, but stress-testing of integrated capability across air,
land and sea domains under challenging real-world terrain constraints.
(bharatshakti.in)
Force
Deployment & Assets in Play
Each service brings heavy firepower and modern
systems to the table:
Indian Air Force: Frontline
fighters such as Rafales and Su-30MKIs, support platforms, IL-78 aerial
tankers, UAVs/RPAs, and AEW&C (Airborne Early Warning & Control)
aircraft are reportedly engaged.
Indian Navy: Warships and maritime
combat assets will simulate realistic coastal and sea control operations,
including amphibious support.
Indian Army: Some 25,000 troops
are mobilised, backed by main battle tanks, artillery, armed helicopters, and
missile systems. Indigenous platforms and weapons will also be fielded under
live conditions.
The goal: test inter-service command and
control, real-time coordination, and combat readiness in a complex multi-domain
fight. (firstpost.com)
Strategic
& Operational Goals
1. Institutionalising jointness:
Post-Operation Sindoor, Trishul seeks to consolidate lessons learnt about
integrating the three forces effectively into a unified operational concept.
2. Readiness under pressure: The exercise will stress test logistics,
sustainment, and command lines under simulated conflict conditions.
3. Validation of new doctrine: Platforms, tactics and technologies
developed or refined during Sindoor will face practical trial — for instance,
sensor fusion, joint targeting, and coordinated strike capabilities.
4. Deterrence messaging: The exercise sends a strategic signal to
adversaries about India’s ability to mount synchronized multidomain operations.
Islamabad reportedly responded by placing air commands on alert, restricting
some airspace, and closely watching movements along the Sir Creek–Sindh axis.
(indiatoday.in)
Tracing the
Legacy: Operation Sindoor as Precursor
Operation Sindoor, conducted in May 2025, was
a coordinated offensive involving strikes against terrorist infrastructure
inside Pakistan and Pakistan-administered Kashmir. It represented a doctrinal
shift toward calibrated use of force, leveraging air, land, and sea assets in
unison. (pib.gov.in)
In that operation, the IAF deployed long-range
precision missiles (SCALP), HAMMER bombs, and loitering munitions, supported by
mid-air refueling and AEW&C cover. (ndtv.com) The synergy demonstrated in
Sindoor is now being further institutionalised through Trishul.
Trishul is not a mere show-of-force; it is a
step in embedding the operational lessons of Sindoor into routine preparedness
and doctrine.
Geopolitical
Ripples & Pakistan’s Response
The timing and scope of Trishul, especially in
western sectors near Sir Creek, have drawn sharp reactions from Pakistan.
Islamabad has curtailed portions of its airspace and placed several commands on
heightened alert. (firstpost.com) Analysts note the geographic emphasis on the
“deep south” (Sir Creek to Sindh) may be intended to unsettle adversaries and
signal operational reach. (timesofindia.indiatimes.com)
This posture underscores that in the current
strategic environment, military exercises are also instruments of deterrence
and messaging.
Challenges
& Variables to Monitor
Interoperability: Ensuring
seamless communications, secure data links, shared situational awareness across
services is intricate in live, contested scenarios.
Logistics & sustainment:
Theatre-level coordination of fuel, munitions, spares, and medical support will
be heavily tested.
Transition zones: Where
operations shift from DFC (desert/creek) to conventional rail-road network,
challenges of mobility and force projection arise.
Selective transparency: The
balance between demonstrating capability and protecting operational secrecy
will be delicate.
Conclusion
Exercise Trishul marks a bold stride in
India’s defence evolution. More than a lavish display, it is a measured effort
to operationalise the gains from Operation Sindoor, integrate the three
services beyond ad hoc assemblies, and build a future-ready military posture.
In the complex dynamics of the western frontier and evolving strategic
competition, Trishul may well serve as the template for India’s next generation
of warfighting and deterrence capacity synchronised, multi-domain, and credible.
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