Indian Armed Forces Conducts TROPEX 25 to Assess Combat Readiness.
Defence
In January 2025, senior military officers observed the Theatre Level Operational Readiness Exercise (TROPEX-2025), which involved joint operations aboard several Indian Navy Ships (INS). The exercise aimed to assess the operational capabilities and readiness of the Indian Armed Forces—comprising the Indian Navy (IN), Indian Army (IA), and Indian Air Force (IAF)—in the Indian Ocean Region (IOR). The exercise was conducted over two days, from January 30-31, 2025.
- The senior military officers who participated in the exercise included Lieutenant General Johnson P. Mathew (Chief of Integrated Defence Staff (CISC)), Lt Gen NS Raja Subramani (Vice Chief of the Army Staff (VCOAS)), Vice Admiral Krishna Swaminathan (Vice Chief of the Naval Staff (VCNS)), Air Marshal Sujeet Pushpakar (S.P.) Dharkar (Vice Chief of the Air Staff (VCAS)), and Lt Gen Ajay Kumar (Director General (DG) of Infantry).
- TROPEX is the Indian Navy's (IN) largest biennial exercise aimed at enhancing coordination among the armed forces and testing readiness against potential threats in the Indian Ocean Region (IOR).
- The previous exercise, TROPEX 23, included extensive operations such as coastal defense operations (Sea Vigil) and amphibious maneuvers (AMPHEX).
Main Point :- (i) Senior officers aboard INS Vikrant, India's first indigenous aircraft carrier, observed fighter jets and helicopters in action, with demonstrations that featured bomb drops, rocket firing, and aerobatic displays.
(ii) On INS Jalashwa, the officers watched Army soldiers and Navy Commandos perform amphibious landing drills, including bunker breaches, combat jumps, and landing troops and vehicles on the shore using specialized boats.
(iii) Air Marshal SP Dharkar participated in a MiG-29K trainer, demonstrating the joint capabilities of the Indian Navy (IN), Indian Army (IA), and Indian Air Force (IAF). Additionally, the officers visited the Naval Base at Karwar (Karnataka) to receive updates on the ongoing construction of new facilities aimed at supporting future naval operations.
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