SPR 2021 | Important Defence Exercises in News

Important Defence Exercises in News

Operation Desert Chase 

• Context:
  • Under this operation, Rajasthan Police arrested two civil defense employees in Jaipur based on Military Intelligence (MI) inputs that they had been passing on sensitive information to Pakistan's spy agency ISI.
• About:
  • It was the name of the Anti-espionage operation started by Military Intelligence (MI) in early 2019. It successfully culminated in June 2020 with the arrest of two men. Both were arrested under relevant sections of the Official Secrets Act, 1923.

EX-Indra 2020

• Context:
  • Amid high operational alert by the Indian Navy in the Indian Ocean Region (IOR) India and Russia are scheduled to hold the bilateral naval exercise, Indra 2020, in the Andaman Sea, close to the strategic Strait of Malacca.
• About EX-Indra 2020
  • It is a joint, tri-services exercise between India and Russia.
  • This series of exercises began in 2003 and the First joint Tri-Services Exercise was conducted in 2017.
  • Company-sized mechanized contingents, fighter and transport aircraft, as well as ships of respective Army, Air Force, and Navy, participate in this exercise of ten days duration.

Exercise SLINEX

• Context: 
  • Recently, the Eighth Edition of the annual Indian Navy (IN) and Sri Lanka Navy (SLN) called SLINEX scheduled off in Trincomalee, Sri Lanka.
• About:
  • It is a bilateral maritime exercise between the Indian Navy and Sri Lanka Navy.
  • The Sri Lanka Navy will be represented by SLN Ships Sayura (Offshore Patrol Vessel) and Gajabahu (Training Ship).
  • The Indian Navy will be represented by ASW corvettes Kamorta and Kiltan.
  • The Indian Navy Advanced Light Helicopter (ALH) and Chetak helicopter embarked onboard IN ships and Dornier Maritime Patrol Aircraft will also be participating.
  • It aims to enhance inter-operability, improve mutual understanding, and exchange best practices and procedures for multi-faceted maritime operations between both navies.
  • The exercise is being conducted in a non-contact ‘at-sea-only’ format in the backdrop of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Exercise Suraksha Kavach

• Context: 
  • Agnibaaz Division organized Exercise Suraksha Kavach, a Joint Anti-Terrorist Exercise for both Indian Army and Maharashtra Police at Lullanagar Pune.
• About:
  • The aim of the exercise was to harmonize the drills and procedures of both Army and Police for activating anti-terrorist Quick Reaction Teams (QRTs) to counter any terrorist actions in Pune.
  • The exercise involved the participation of Quick Reaction Teams, Dog Squads, and Bomb Disposal Teams of Army as well as Anti-Terrorism Squad (ATS) and Quick Reaction Team of Maharashtra Police.

Malabar Excercise

• Context:
  • Phase I of the Malabar 2020 naval exercise by India, Australia, Japan, and the U.S. began off the coast of Visakhapatnam in the Bay of Bengal.
• About:
  • It is an annual exercise between the navies of India, Japan, and the U.S. held alternately in the Indian and Pacific Oceans.
  • It began in 1992 as a bilateral exercise between India and the U.S. It got permanently expanded into a trilateral format with the inclusion of Japan in 2015.
  • The four Navies would conduct a range of high-end training, including air-defense and anti-submarine exercises, aviation, communications, and at-sea replenishment between ships, a statement from the Australian Defence Ministry.

Exercise SITMAX-2020

• Context:
  • Recently, the second edition of the India, Thailand, and Singapore trilateral Naval exercise SITMEX-20 concluded in the Andaman Sea.
• About:
  • The SITMEX series of exercises are conducted to enhance mutual interoperability and imbibing best practices between the Indian Navy, Republic of Singapore Navy (RSN), and Royal Thai Navy (RTN).
  • It also aims to strengthen mutual confidence and develop a common understanding and procedures towards enhancing the overall maritime security in the Indo-Pacific region.
  • The exercise is in line with India’s SAGAR (Security and Growth for All in the Region) vision.
  • The genesis of SITMEX is seen in the Prime Minister of India's keynote address at Shangri-La Dialogue in June 2018 announced the conduct of a trilateral naval exercise between India, Singapore, and Thailand.
  • In the 2020 edition, The Indian Navy deployed indigenously Anti-Submarine Warfare corvette INS Kamorta and missile corvette INS Karmuk for the exercise.

Exercise CORPAT

• Context:
  • The Navy conducted a coordinated patrol with Thailand in the Andaman Sea.
  • Simultaneously it also provided food aid to South Sudan in the western Indian Ocean Region under Mission Sagar II.
• About:
  • To develop interoperability and joint operational skills through the conduct of a wide spectrum of maritime exercises and operations.
  • Naval ships from both countries along with the maritime patrol aircraft and helicopters will be participating in the exercise.
  • It will be followed by the 3rd edition of India-Bangladesh Coordinated Patrol (IN-BN CORPAT), wherein both countries will undertake joint patrolling along the International Maritime Boundary Line (IMBL).
  • CORPATs have strengthened understanding between both the navies and instituted measures to stop the conduct of unlawful activities.

Exercise Kavach

• It is a Joint Military exercise involving assets of the Indian Army, Indian Navy, Indian Air Force, and Indian Coast Guard.
• It is being conducted in the coming week under the aegis of the Andaman and Nicobar Command (ANC), the only Joint Forces Command of the country.
• The tri-services exercise aims to fine-tune joint war-fighting capabilities and SOPs towards enhancing operational synergy.

Exercise VAJRA PRAHAR 2021

• Context:
  •  The 11th edition of Indo-US Joint Special Forces Exercise VAJRA PRAHAR 2021 has been taken place recently.
• More about the News:
  • The joint exercise by the Special Forces of both the countries is conducted alternatively between India and the United States to share the best practices and experiences in areas such as joint mission planning and operational tactics as also to improve interoperability between the Special Forces of both nations.
  • Such Bilateral military exercises and defense exchanges are an important facet of deepening bilateral defense cooperation between friendly countries.
  • Other than this, India and the United States also participated in a joint military exercise 'Yudh Abhyas’ in February 2021.

Passage Exercise(PASSEX)

• Context: 
  • Recently, India, US begin a two-day naval exercise in the eastern Indian Ocean region. 
• Aim:
  •  To improve the cooperation between the U.S. and Indian maritime forces and to maximize training and interoperability, which also include air defense.
• Impact:
  •  It will enhance both sides' ability to counter threats at sea, from piracy to violent extremism. It will also present opportunities to build upon the pre-existing strong relationship between the United States and India and allow both countries to learn from each other.
  • Indian Navy deployed its warship Shivalik and long-range maritime patrol aircraft P8I in the 'PASSEX' exercise while the US Navy was represented by the USS Theodore Roosevelt carrier strike group.
  • The exercise is aimed at consolidating the synergy and interoperability achieved during the Malabar exercise.

Joint Exercise Dustlik

• The Second Edition of Joint Exercise Dustlik between the Indian Army and Uzbekistan Army is being held in India.
• The exercise is based on counter-terrorist operations and aims at enhancing military cooperation.

EX Desert FLAG VI

• Ex Desert Flag is an annual multi-national large force employment warfare exercise hosted by the United Arab Emirates Air Force.
• The Indian Air Force is participating for the first time in Exercise Desert Flag-VI along with the air forces of the United Arab Emirates, the United States of America, France, Saudi Arabia, South Korea, and Bahrain.