Trishul 2025 Strengthening India’s Western Defence Preparedness

India Launches Major Tri-Service Exercise

Trishul 2025 Strengthening India’s Western Defence Preparedness: India has commenced the Trishul 2025 tri-Service combat exercise along the western border with Pakistan, marking one of the country’s largest coordinated defence operations of the year. The drill brings together the Army, Navy, and Air Force for integrated land, sea, and air warfare operations. The exercise began following Defence Minister Rajnath Singh’s firm warning to Pakistan over its growing military activities near the Sir Creek region.

Static GK fact: Trishul is one of India’s major tri-service exercises, complementing others like Dakshin Shakti and Bharat Shakti.

Rising Tensions Around Sir Creek

The strategic Sir Creek estuary, a 96-km tidal channel separating Gujarat’s Rann of Kutch from Pakistan’s Sindh province, remains a long-standing territorial dispute between the two countries. Rajnath Singh’s declaration that any provocation would “change both history and geography” underscores the seriousness of current border developments. India has issued a Notice to Airmen (NOTAM) restricting airspace use over Rajasthan and Gujarat from 30 October to 10 November 2025 to accommodate the large-scale drills.

Static GK Tip: Sir Creek’s coordinates are near 23°58′N 68°48′E, and it holds significant maritime boundary implications for both nations.

Pakistan’s Parallel Military Movements

Pakistan has also imposed temporary flight restrictions over its central and southern airspace on 28–29 October, likely to conduct simultaneous military activities or weapons testing. Analysts believe this is a counter-move reflecting heightened regional readiness, reminiscent of post-Operation Sindoor (May 2025), when India neutralised several terror installations in Pakistan and PoK.

Scale and Scope of Trishul 2025

While described officially as a routine annual exercise, Trishul 2025 stands out for its expanded scale. Over 20,000 troops have been deployed, supported by battle tanks, artillery howitzers, attack helicopters, and missile systems. The exercise covers amphibious landings off the Saurashtra coast and desert warfare drills across Rajasthan, ensuring cross-domain coordination and combat efficiency.

Static GK fact: The Rann of Kutch was the site of a brief India–Pakistan border conflict in 1965, making it a historically sensitive zone for joint military operations.

Air and Naval Power Integration

The Indian Air Force has launched “Mahagujraj operations”, involving Rafale and Sukhoi-30MKI fighters, AWACS, UAVs, and aerial refuellers from multiple airbases. Simultaneously, the Indian Navy has deployed frigates, destroyers, and maritime surveillance aircraft along the Gujarat coastline to support maritime dominance and amphibious tasks.

Complementing these are sub-exercises such as “Trinetra”, focusing on electromagnetic warfare, counter-drone operations, and communication security. Together, they reflect India’s move towards network-centric joint operations—a key objective of modern defence strategy.

Static GK Tip: India’s first tri-service command, the Andaman and Nicobar Command (ANC), was established in 2001 to foster inter-service integration.

Strategic Significance

The launch of Trishul 2025 reinforces India’s ability to respond swiftly to any western border contingency. It signals enhanced deterrence, interoperability, and combat readiness, especially at a time of rising geopolitical tensions. The exercise not only strengthens India’s defensive posture but also projects confidence in handling simultaneous threats across multiple domains.

Static Usthadian Current Affairs Table

Trishul 2025 Strengthening India’s Western Defence Preparedness: