'Desert Storm': Army's Thar Raptor Brigade, Sudarshan Chakra & Konark Corps validate 'seamless joint capabilities'

New Delhi, Nov 7 (IANS) The aviation assets of the Army's Thar Raptor Brigade, in close coordination with the mechanised formations of Sudarshan Chakra and Konark Corps, are conducting high-tempo combined arms operations to validate seamless joint capabilities under realistic battlefield conditions, an Army official said on Friday.

These integrated exercises are part of the Army's Southern Command’s ongoing desert drills, MaruJwala and Akhand Prahaar, being held under the tri-services framework of 'Exercise Trishul'.

The operations focus on refining and validating joint aviation–mechanised Tactics, Techniques, and Procedures (TTPs), ensuring enhanced coordination and combat readiness.

"Covering a wide range of aviation missions — including surveillance and reconnaissance, special heliborne operations, rapid troop insertions, and close-support manoeuvres the exercises highlight technological synergy, operational excellence, and the spirit of jointness among participating formations," the official said.

Through these rigorous and realistic drills, the Southern Command continues to shape the future battlespace, demonstrating the Indian armed forces' capability to operate as a cohesive, agile, and technologically advanced force ready to meet evolving battlefield challenges.

Exercise Trishul, being conducted by the Indian Navy as the lead service jointly with the Indian Army and Indian Air Force, commenced in early November.

Headquarters Western Naval Command, in close coordination with the other services, are conducting the exercise, which features large-scale operations across the creek and desert sectors of Rajasthan and Gujarat, alongside comprehensive maritime operations including amphibious operations in the North Arabian Sea.

Covering the Gujarat coast and the northern Arabian Sea, the Army's Southern Command, the Western Naval Command, and the South Western Air Command are the principal formations participating in the exercise, while the Indian Coast Guard, Border Security Force, and other central agencies are also present in large numbers, further reinforcing inter-agency coordination and integrated operations.

The exercise aims to achieve validation and synchronisation of operational procedures across the three services, enabling joint effect-based operations in a multi-domain environment. Key objectives include enhancing interoperability of platforms and infrastructure, strengthening the integration of networks across the services, and advancing jointness in operations across multiple domains.

--IANS

sas/vd