India conducts a busy calendar of military exercises with partner nations across all three services. These drills sharpen operational readiness, build interoperability with friendly forces, and serve as an instrument of defence diplomacy.

Why exercises matter

Joint and combined exercises let Indian forces test doctrine, equipment and command arrangements against — and alongside — other militaries, while signalling strategic alignment and deepening bilateral ties.

Notable exercises

  • Yudh Abhyas: a bilateral army exercise with the United States.
  • Malabar: a major naval exercise with the United States, Japan and Australia.
  • Garuda: an air-force exercise with France.
  • Indra: a tri-service exercise with Russia.

Defence diplomacy

Alongside these, India hosts and joins numerous other bilateral and multilateral drills each year — extending its network of security partnerships across the Indo-Pacific and beyond.