Indian Army’s ‘Trishakti Prahar’ Exercise To Employ Advanced Weaponry And Tactics
The Indian Army is preparing for a monumental combat exercise, ‘Trishakti Prahar,’ that involves over 30,000 troops and cutting-edge weaponry. This exercise serves multiple purposes including testing new-generation weapon systems, validating innovative long-range firepower concepts, and integrating invaluable lessons from the ongoing Russia-Ukraine conflict.
The objectives of the ‘Trishakti Prahar’ exercise encompass integrated air-land and combined arms operations, with a focus on swift mobilisation and deep-strike offensive capabilities. Strategies involving “degradation by long-range vectors and precision high-volume strikes” will be tested, alongside advanced tools such as intelligence, surveillance, reconnaissance (ISR), and electronic warfare capabilities.
#WATCH | A joint training exercise 'Exercise Trishakri Prahar' was conducted in North Bengal from 21-31 Jan; aim was to practice battle preparedness of Security Forces using weapons & equipment in an integrated environment, involving all arms of the Army, Indian Air Force & CAPFs pic.twitter.com/6BrrMI3fFw
— ANI (@ANI) January 31, 2023
Notably, the previous edition of the exercise was conducted in January this year. The Indian Army and the Central Armed Police Forces (CAPF) participated in the exercise held in North Bengal. Kickstarted on January 21, 2023, Exercise Trishakti Prahar employed the use of state-of-the-art weapons and equipment in a networked and integrated environment and tested the battle preparedness of the security forces.
Over 30,000 Troops and Advanced Weaponry to Join Massive Drill
The ‘Trishakti Prahar’ exercise is set to take place on the western front in Rajasthan, where the 21 Corps, one of the Indian Army’s four major “strike formations” comprising 12 lakh troops, is actively engaged. The final phase of this extensive exercise is scheduled for the first half of November.
The exercise’s impressive lineup includes T-90S and Arjun main-battle tanks, an assortment of howitzers, helicopters, and various military assets. Furthermore, the Indian Air Force (IAF) and Navy will contribute by deploying fighter jets, Apache attack helicopters, Chinook heavy-lift helicopters, and other aircraft.
The exercise will also spotlight enhanced mobility and effective shoot-and-scoot capabilities, two vital lessons gleaned from the Russia-Ukraine conflict. Additionally, the deployment of armed swarm drones and loitering munitions, often referred to as kamikaze drones, will be integral to the exercise.
Testing New Weapon Systems and Technologies
According to a source in the defence establishment, several recently acquired weapon systems and technologies will be put to the test during the ‘Trishakti Prahar’ exercise. Simultaneously, various cases for modernisation and technology infusion are underway, ensuring that the Indian Army remains agile, future-ready, and equipped with indigenous solutions for niche technologies.
The exercise underscores the critical necessity of self-reliance in defence production, technologies, and research and development (R&D). It highlights the importance of establishing resilient supply chains to sustain the military—a key lesson drawn from the Russia-Ukraine war.
Furthermore, the exercise emphasises the need to prepare for multi-domain wars of extended durations, contrary to earlier beliefs that conflicts would be short, intense, and swift. The heightened tensions along the 3,488-km Line of Actual Control have prompted the Indian Army, comprising 14 corps, each with 40,000 to 70,000 troops, to redistribute additional forces and firepower toward the border with China.
