International News: India, along with its partner nations, has joined the world’s largest and most advanced military exercise—Talisman Sabre 2025, which began this week in Queensland, Australia. This is the first time India has sent a full military contingent to such a large-scale international drill, demonstrating its strength and growing global strategic presence.
The exercise includes around 35,000 soldiers from 19 countries, making it the biggest defence drill in Australia’s history. Over the next three weeks, military operations will be conducted across Queensland, the Northern Territory, Western Australia, New South Wales, and Christmas Island. For the first time, operations will also extend beyond Australian shores to Papua New Guinea.
New Definition of Indo-Pacific Unity
Defence experts say the drill symbolizes rising coordination and balance in the Indo-Pacific region. It’s not just about military might, but also a display of solidarity among countries facing common security challenges.
Countries Participating
According to Australian media, the countries involved include:
Participating nations include the United States, Canada, Fiji, France, Germany, India, Indonesia, Japan, the Netherlands, New Zealand, Norway, Papua New Guinea, the Philippines, South Korea, Singapore, Thailand, Tonga, and the United Kingdom. Malaysia and Vietnam are participating as observers.
The military exercise features a diverse set of joint operations, including:
- Live-fire exercises
- Amphibious landings
- Air combat simulations
- Naval missions
- Coordination across land, sea, air, space, and cyber domains
Australia is also showcasing its advanced defence capabilities, including the UH-60M Black Hawk helicopters and long-range precision strike missiles.
India's First Full-Spectrum Participation
India’s involvement in Talisman Sabre 2025 is historic. The Indian Army, Navy, and Air Force special units are participating together. According to reports, Indian forces are conducting:
- Live-fire drills with Australia
- Coordinated HIMARS missile launches
- Joint training in cyber warfare, maritime strategy, and space-based combat simulations
- Indian soldiers also trained with Australia’s HIMARS (High Mobility Artillery Rocket System) in coordinated bombardments and mobile rocket launches, indicating India's preparation for future multidimensional warfare.
China's Silent Watch?
Interestingly, media reports suggest that China has deployed a surveillance ship toward Australia. Experts believe it may be an attempt to monitor the drill and gather sensitive information about the multi-nation operations.
