India conducted the RAHAT MITRA exercise with Myanmar in Chennai on 5-6 November. The Indian Navy also joined the MALABAR 2026 drills in Japan, which started on 5 November. These missions focus on disaster relief and better coordination. Officials said the work is consistent with the Neighbourhood First policy.
From the maiden RAHAT MITRA exercise with Myanmar to MALABAR 2026 in Japan and special forces drills in Indonesia, India has stepped up military engagement with international partners. The exercises focus on disaster relief, interoperability and closer operational coordination across regions.
New Delhi: India has conducted a series of bilateral and multilateral military exercises with partners across the Indo-Pacific and Mediterranean in recent days, with emphasis on humanitarian assistance, disaster relief and closer operational coordination with foreign armed forces.
The Indian Navy coordinated the maiden Tri-Services Humanitarian Assistance and Disaster Relief (HADR) exercise with Myanmar, titled RAHAT MITRA, in Chennai on 5-6 November. More than 300 personnel from the three services of both countries took part. The exercise, under the theme "Together for Humanity, Stronger through Partnership", focused on professional exchanges and improving interoperability for disaster response. Indian officials described it as consistent with New Delhi's Neighbourhood First policy and the broader strategic framework known as MAHASAGAR (Mutual and Holistic Advancement for Security and Growth Across Regions).
Separately, the long-running multilateral naval exercise MALABAR 2026 opened in Yokosuka, Japan, on 5 November. Hosted by the Japan Maritime Self-Defence Force, the opening ceremony was attended by Vice Admiral A.N. Pramod, Deputy Chief of the Naval Staff of the Indian Navy, along with senior officers from Australia, Japan and the United States. The exercise runs until 12 November, with the Indian Navy's INS Sahyadri participating. Its stated aim is to enhance interoperability and operational coordination among the four participating navies.
In the Mediterranean, INS Trishul concluded a port call at Souda Bay, Greece, on 3 November as part of an ongoing deployment. The visit included meetings with senior Hellenic Navy officers and heads of the NATO Maritime Interdiction Operational Training Centre and the US Naval Support Activity at Souda Bay. Discussions covered logistics, mutual support and areas of common interest. A passage exercise with the Hellenic Navy frigate HS Limnos involved manoeuvring drills, replenishment approaches and cross-deck helicopter operations. India's Ambassador to Greece Ravi Shankar visited the ship and attended a cultural event onboard.
On the same day that RAHAT MITRA and MALABAR began, the fifth edition of the India-US Tri-Service HADR exercise Tiger Triumph concluded with a closing ceremony in Visakhapatnam. Conducted from 31 October to 5 November, it comprised a staff exercise and a tabletop exercise focused on planning and executing combined humanitarian operations, with particular attention to amphibious activities. Participants exchanged views on cyberspace and medical operations. The closing event was attended by Rear Admiral Vishal Bishnoi, Flag Officer Commanding Eastern Fleet, and Rear Admiral Joaquin J. Martinez de Pinillos, Vice Commander of the US Pacific Fleet. The exercise series began in 2019.
Meanwhile, the 11th edition of the India-Indonesia joint special forces exercise Garuda Shakti ended on 5 November in Banyuwangi, Indonesia. Troops from the Indian Army's Parachute Regiment (Special Forces) and Indonesian special forces trained in jungle terrain on combat marksmanship, obstacle crossing, mountaineering, heli-borne insertion, tactical patrolling and combat tracking. They also practised the use of drones for surveillance. The closing ceremony was attended by the Indian Ambassador to Indonesia, Sandeep Chakravorty, and the commander of Indonesia's Division 2. The drills support New Delhi's engagement from the Mediterranean to the Indo-Pacific.