Soldiers of Indian Army and Mongolian Armed Forces are participating in the ongoing Exercise Nomadic Elephant 2023 in Mongolia.  Additional Directorate General of Public Information, IHQ of MoD (Army) informed about the troops participation in the exercise in a tweet.  Additional Directorate General of Public Information, IHQ of MoD (Army)  tweeted, "Exercise #NomadicElephant 2023 Achieving Synergy & Interoperability. Troops of both the Nations in action during the Joint Exercise at #Mongolia." On July 16, Indian Army contingent comprising of 43 personnel reached Ulaanbaater  by an Indian Air Force C-17 aircraft. The exercise, which began on July 17, is being conducted at Mongolia's Ulaanbaatar. The exercise Nomadic Elephant-23 is due to end on July 31.  The exercise is an annual training event with Mongolia which is conducted alternatively in Mongolia and India. The last edition of Nomadic Elephant-23 was held at Special Forces Training School, Bakloh in October 2019. The scope of this exercise involves platoon level field training exercise (FTX).  Ministry of Defence in the press release said, "The aim of this exercise is to build positive military relations, exchange best practices, develop inter-operability, bonhomie, camaraderie and friendship between the two armies.  The primary theme of the exercise will focus on counter-terrorism operations in mountainous terrain under United Nations mandate." During the exercise, Indian and Mongolian troops will engage in various training activities designed to enhance their skills and capabilities. These activities include endurance training, reflex firing, room intervention, small team tactics and rock craft training. Soldiers from India and Mongolia will learn from each other’s operational experience.  According to press release, India and Mongolia have a shared commitment to regional security and cooperation. The exercise will be yet another significant milestone in the defence cooperation between the Indian Army and Mongolian Army which will further foster bilateral ties between the two nations.

Indian Naval Ships INS Rana and INS Sumedha undertook a Maritime Partnership Exercise (MPX) with French Navy ship FS Surcouf in the Bay of Bengal on Friday. INS Rana is a guided missile destroyer and INS Sumedha is an indigenously built offshore patrol vessel that took part in the exercise. The French Navy's La Fayette class frigate Surcouf visited Visakhapatnam from June 26-29 and participated in a variety of activities with Indian Navy ships, which included professional and social interactions, sports fixtures and cross-deck visits, the Ministry of Defence said in an official release. Before leaving Visakhapatnam, the Indian naval vessels -- Rana and Sumedha -- participated in a number of exercises with the FS Surcouf, which included tactical manoeuvres, replenishment at sea (RAS) approaches, air defence against fighter aircraft and cross-deck helicopter operations. A customary farewell steam past between the ships reaffirmed the close friendship between the two fleets, marking the end of the MPX. The visit of FS Surcouf to India signifies the strong navy-to-navy links, interoperability and strong bonds between Indian Navy and French Navy, the press release by the Ministry of Defence (MoD) read. Earlier this year, FS La Fayette, a frigate and FS Dixmude, a Mistral-class amphibious assault class ship had participated in an MPX with INS Sahyadri, a guided missile frigate from March 10 to 11.

The Indian Air Force is preparing to conduct a mega-multilateral exercise later this year that will bring together air forces of 12 nations, thus strengthening military cooperation with them, an official privy to the development said on Wednesday. The exercise, named Tarang Shakti, is slated to be the biggest air exercise to be conducted in India. Participating countries will join the exercise with both military combat jets and transport aircraft, among other assets. Among others, air forces of France, Australia, the US and the UK are likely to participate in the exercise — its location is not known yet. According to officials, the Tarang Shakti exercise will be held in October-November this year — six air forces will participate in the exercise, and the rest will attend as observers. They said the final approval on the exercise from the government is pending. Ahead of Tarang Shakti, the IAF is likely to participate in another exercise in Egypt, officials said. Earlier this year, the IAF took part in several joint exercises with France, Greece, Japan and the UK — among others, Exercise Orion at the Mont-de-Marsan airbase in France from April 17 to May 5 and the INIOCHOS exercise at Andravida base in Greece, hosted by the Hellenic Air Force. In April, the IAF and the USAF had taken part in a joint exercise in Cope India-2023 across Kalaikunda, Panagarh and Agra bases. Three Rafale fighter jets of the IAF will take part in the Bastille Day flypast over the Champs Elysees in Paris on July 14. Prime Minister Narendra Modi will attend this year’s Bastille Day Parade as the guest of honour and a tri-services contingent will participate in the parade along with their French counterparts. Source: indianexpress.com

The NATO military alliance is set to conduct war games in the skies over Germany. Three flight zones will be temporarily closed to civilian air traffic, and delays to civilian flights are expected. The German Air Force is facing its biggest challenge in decades: After four years of preparation, the NATO military exercise Air Defender 23 is set to begin on Monday, June 12. It's the biggest drill of its type since the military alliance was formed in 1949, and Germany will serve as the host and logistical hub. From June 12 to 23, up to 250 aircraft will be stationed across six military bases, with 25 countries taking part. The US alone is sending 100 aircraft across the Atlantic. In the air, participants will train in crisis situations over three flight zones: over northern Germany in the North Sea, in the east and in a small strip of southern Germany. These zones will be alternately closed to civilian aircraft each day for several hours. Delays to civilian air traffic expected Regular air traffic is part of the challenge, as the skies above Europe are among the busiest flight paths in the world. Aviation experts are watching to see whether civilian air traffic can continue to run mostly unaffected, in parallel with Air Defender 23. During the 10 days of military maneuvers, German airports have extended their operating hours into the night. "I hope that, if all these measures are effective, there will be no flight cancellations," said Ingo Gerhartz, a lieutenant general in the German Air Force. However, he did not want to rule out delays to departures or arrivals. For the past 30 years, the work of German civilian and military control tower operators has been integrated, according to German aviation expert Clemens Bollinger. He told DW that flight controllers are in constant communication with their colleagues in the air force. This is a special feature of German air traffic control, compared with other countries in Europe, and was introduced because German airspace is so heavily used. While the French air force repeatedly closes entire flight zones for scheduled flights even during normal operations, civilian and military flights in Germany coordinate with each other every day. NATO sending a message of deterrence NATO wants to send a political message of deterrence with its Air Defender exercise, said Torben Arnold of the German Institute for International and Security Affairs. "Of course, this sends a clear signal, saying that even though this airspace is extremely busy, they are prepared to say, 'we will defend every centimeter of NATO territory," he told. More than 10,000 soldiers from NATO countries will participate in numerous drills. Some of these will be ground-based, including an "evacuation from an airfield," said Gerhartz of the German Air Force. This exercise was apparently added to the schedule after the chaos at Kabul airport in 2021 when the US and its allies hastily ended their mission in Afghanistan. Other scenarios include supporting ground troops from the air, airborne battles against enemy jets and the interception of medium-range missiles by NATO fighter bombers. US forces are sending the F-35 stealth combat aircraft, the alliance's most modern fighter jet, to take part in the exercises. The North Sea will see defensive drills against enemy submarines or ships, Arnold pointed out, adding that an enemy "can also attack from areas other than on the continent." NATO maneuvers during the Ukrainian counteroffensive It's no secret that when it comes to this "enemy," many in Europe think first of Russia and the full-scale offensive it has been fighting against Ukraine since February 24, 2022. However, when presenting the plans for Air Defender 23 to the media in Berlin on June 7, Lt. Gen. Gerhartz did not once mention Russia. Amy Gutmann, the US ambassador to Germany, said the drills will constitute an "impressive" show of force toward other countries in the world. "It will demonstrate beyond a shadow of a doubt the agility and the swiftness of our allied force in NATO as a first responder," the US official told reporters in Berlin. "I would be pretty surprised if any world leader was not taking note of what this shows in terms of the spirit of this alliance, which means the strength of this alliance," she declared. "And that includes Mr. Putin," she said, referring to the Russian president. The US and its NATO allies are playing the deterrence card, and this might also have a desirable side effect for them. The Russian armed forces will also be studying these NATO maneuvers, while in Ukraine, Kyiv's army is increasing pressure on the Russian attackers, with counterattacks like pinpricks along the front in the east and south of the country.

Two frontline warships of the Indian Navy arrived in Singapore on Monday to participate in the inaugural edition of the ASEAN-India Maritime Exercise, officials said. The harbour phase of the exercise is scheduled to be held at the Changi Naval Base from May 2 to 4, while the sea phase will be conducted from May 7 to 8 in the South China Sea. The South China Sea has been witnessing major military assertiveness by China in the last few years. The two Indian naval ships that arrived in Singapore are INS Satpura and INS Delhi. The ASEAN-India Maritime Exercise (AIME-2023) will provide an opportunity to the Indian Navy and ASEAN navies to work closely with each other and conduct seamless operations in the maritime domain, the defence ministry said. INS Delhi is India's first indigenously-built guided missile destroyer, while INS Satpura is an indigenously-built guided missile stealth frigate. Both the ships are part of the navy's Eastern Fleet based in Visakhapatnam.The ships are fitted with state-of-the-art weapons and sensors. The ships, during their port call at Singapore, will also participate in the International Maritime Defence Exhibition (IMDEX-23) and the International Maritime Security Conference (IMSC) being hosted by Singapore, the ministry said in a statement. Source: NDTV

The week-long drills (May 2-8, 2023) aimed at “enhancing interoperability and exchange of best practices among participating navies” is expected to be inaugurated by Indian Chief of Naval Staff Admiral R Hari Kumar.  Amidst the growing presence of the Chinese Navy’s presence in the Indian Ocean, the first ever ASEAN-India maritime exercise (AIME-2023) will start from Tuesday.  The week-long drills (May 2-8, 2023) aimed at “enhancing interoperability and exchange of best practices among participating navies” is expected to be inaugurated by Indian Chief of Naval Staff Admiral R Hari Kumar. New Delhi’s move to increase its maritime security cooperation with the ASEAN region comes amidst China’s growing belligerence not only on land in eastern Ladakh along the Line of Actual Control but also in the Indian Ocean, South China Sea, east China sea, Taiwan Strait and elsewhere in the Indo-Pacific Region. With AIME-2023 India becomes the 4th ASEAN dialogue partner, after Russia, China and the US to hold the ASEAN+1 maritime exercise in which navies of the Philippines, Cambodia, Myanmar, Malaysia, Singapore, Indonesia, Thailand, Vietnam, Laos, and Brunei, will be participating. The maiden exercise will be conducted off the coast of Singapore and will feature harbour and at-sea events off the coast of Singapore. INS Satpura and INS Delhi with RAdm Gurcharan Singh, the Flag Officer Commanding Eastern Fleet embarked onboard has reached Singapore to take part in the inaugural AIME-2023. From May 2-4 the Harbour Phase of the exercise will be conducted at Changi Naval Base and followed by the Sea Phase to be conducted from May 7-8, in the South China Sea. According to an official statement the AIME 2023 will provide an opportunity for the Indian Navy and ASEAN navies to conduct seamless operations in the maritime domain and to work closely. More about the participating ships INS Delhi is India’s first indigenously-built guided missile destroyer and INS Satpura, is also indigenously built guided missile stealth frigate and are fitted with state-of-the art weapons and sensors. According to the Indian Navy both are part of the Eastern Fleet based at Visakhapatnam and under the operational command of the Flag Officer Commanding-in-Chief, Eastern Naval Command. During their port call at Singapore the ships of the Indian Navy will participate in the International Maritime Security Conference (IMSC) and also International Maritime Defence Exhibition (IMDEX-23). These two events being hosted by Singapore will provide a platform for the maritime and defence sectors to showcase latest innovations and further foster engagements. For the inaugural Asean-India Maritime Exercise, the Philippine Navy has deployed its missile frigate BRP Antonio Luna (FF-151) with a 140-man contingent of Naval Task Group 80.5 onboard. Background The Indian Navy is keeping a close watch on the movement and increasing presence of the Chinese PLA Navy vessels in the Indian Ocean region and docking of its ships at the ports of Pakistan. Source: The Financial Express

Over the next 11 days, Japanese and Indian fighter jets are taking part in an exercise northeast of Tokyo. The drills come amid growing concerns of China's military power in the Indo-Pacific region. Japan and India kicked off their first joint military exercise involving combat aircraft on Monday, Japan's Defense Ministry said. The drills come as the so-called Quad Group — comprised of the United States, Japan, India and Australia — have grown increasingly concerned about China's military and economic influence in the region. What do we know about the exercise? The joint exercise will last for 11 days and is taking place at the Hyakuri Air Base in Japan's Ibaraki prefecture, northeast of Tokyo. Eight Japanese fighter jets are involved while India has sent four war planes of its own, as well as two transport aircraft and a refueling tanker, according to Japan's Defense Ministry. Some 150 Indian Air Force personnel are taking part in the exercise. India's Defense Ministry said the drills will include training for "air combat missions in a complex environment" and that the exercise will strengthen the "long-standing bond of friendship" between India and Japan, the Japan Times reported. The exercises were first agreed by the two countries in 2019, but were delayed due to the coronavirus pandemic. The two countries previously held joint exercises with their land and sea forces, but the current exercise is the first to involve fighter jets. According to Japan's Defense Ministry, India is now the fifth country with which Japan has held a bilateral military exercise, following the US, Australia, the United Kingdom and Germany. Countering China in Indo-Pacific Members of the "Quad" have been stepping up defense and economic cooperation amid worries over China's efforts to expand its influence in the Indo-Pacific region. Japan in particular has been vocal about its concerns with Beijing. In December, the Japanese government called China the "greatest strategic challenge ever" to Japan's security. Last week, Prime Minister Fumio Kishida's government signed a new defense deal with the UK and agreed to expand the country's defense treaty with the US.

The Chinese military held large-scale joint combat strike drills starting Sunday, sending war planes and navy vessels toward Taiwan, both the Chinese and Taiwanese defense ministries said. In a chart of the PLA aircraft flight paths released by the Taiwanese defence ministry on Monday, 28 of the planes appeared to be blocking off three sides of the self-ruled island. In a statement accompanying the chart, the ministry said 23 of the planes had crossed the median line between the island and mainland China. These included 12 J-16 fighter jets, two Sukhoi Su-30 fighters, two J-10s, six J-11s and one KJ-500 early warning plane. Two nuclear-capable H-6 bombers and three BZK-005 reconnaissance drones were also detected entering Taiwan’s southeast air defence identification zone, the ministry said. Taipei’s Presidential Office condemned the PLA drills in a statement issued on Monday, saying they intensified cross-strait and regional instability. “Through various ungrounded claims and reasons, the communist forces have persistently carried out military operations around Taiwan in recent days. For this, the Presidential Office voices its grave condemnation,” spokesman Xavier Chang said. Chang said the two sides of the Taiwan Strait shared a responsibility to uphold peace and stability in the region. Taiwan would never provoke or escalate conflict, and the military had the resolution to defend the island and safeguard its public, he said. Announcing the drills on Sunday night, PLA Eastern Theatre Command spokesman Senior Colonel Shi Yi said its forces had organised “joint combat readiness patrols and actual combat drills in the sea and airspace around Taiwan, focused on land strikes and sea assaults”. “The purpose of the drills is to test joint combat capabilities and also to resolutely counter the provocative actions of external forces and Taiwan independence separatist forces,” Shi said in a written statement. This is the second time in less than a month that the PLA has organised high-intensity exercises near the island. On December 25, a record 71 warplanes and four ships were spotted operating around the island, according to the Taiwanese defence ministry. In the latest operation, the PLA planes which crossed the median line – a de facto border through the Taiwan Strait separating the island from the mainland – briefly approached the north and west of the island, the ministry said. The KJ-500 and BZK drones which headed to Taiwan’s southeast adopted a flight pattern which appeared to form a blockade, according to the chart released by the ministry. “The [Taiwanese] armed forces have monitored the situation and tasked combat and air patrol aircraft, navy vessels and land-based missile systems to respond to these activities,” the ministry said. Observers in Taiwan said the latest exercises were intended as high-intensity training for PLA forces to strengthen their combat capabilities. “By mobilising different types of planes and ships from different air and naval ports, the PLA was practising joint combat operations, including at night,” said Chang Yen-ting, a former Taiwanese air force vice-commander. Chang said the PLA was hoping to create “a new normal” with its increasing number of crossings of the median line and frequent fly-bys of areas close to the island’s contiguous zone, as well as entering the 24-nautical-mile territorial space around Taiwan. “By edging closer every time, such fly-bys or crossovers would eventually wear down the guard of Taiwanese people against any potential attacks by the PLA in the future,” he said. Observers said the latest drills were also intended to serve as a warning to the US for allying with the island and other forces – including from Japan – in countering the PLA. “The drills followed recent US military operations near Taiwan and they could be a message for the Pentagon that [Beijing] will not tolerate such actions,” said Lin Ying-yu, a professor of international relations and strategic studies at Tamkang University in New Taipei. Last week, the US sent the Arleigh Burke-class guided-missile destroyer USS Chung-Hoon (DDG 93) for a “routine” transit of the Taiwan Strait “through waters where high-seas freedoms of navigation and overflight apply in accordance with international law”. The latest mass fly-bys follow US President Joe Biden’s signing late last week of the National Defence Authorisation Act, a defence spending bill which includes the Taiwan Enhanced Resilience Act to increase military aid and security cooperation for the island. Most countries, including the US, do not recognise Taiwan as an independent state. Washington, however, opposes any attempt to take the island by force, which has not been ruled out by Beijing in its pledge to reinstate mainland control. Chang, the former Taiwanese air force officer, said the drills could also be a sign of protest from Beijing over this week’s meetings in Washington between heads of defence and foreign affairs from the US and Japan. US Defence Secretary Lloyd Austin and Secretary of State Antony Blinken will host talks on security and cooperation with their Japanese counterparts – Yasukazu Hamada and Yoshimasa Hayashi, respectively – on Thursday. The “2+2” meeting will discuss security challenges and cooperation on ways to achieve a “free and open Indo-Pacific,” the Japanese defence ministry said. The meetings will be followed by talks between Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida and Biden at the White House on Friday. Source: South China Morning Post

A multilateral strategic and command exercise Vostok-2022 has commenced at the training grounds of the Eastern Military District of Russia, the Defense Ministry said on Thursday. The exercise is aimed at interaction and coordination amongst other participating military contingents and observers, according to the official release by Defense Ministry. An Indian Army contingent comprising of troops from 7/8 Gorkha Rifles had arrived at the exercise location. Over the next seven days will undertake joint man oeuvres to include joint field training exercises, combat discussions, and firepower exercises. "The Indian Army contingent will look forward to sharing practical aspects and put into practice the validated drills, procedures and practice amalgamation of new technology through discussions and tactical exercises," the Defense Ministry said. Moscow last month announced plans to hold "Vostok" exercises that will see participation from China, Belarus, Tajikistan, and Mongolia. Vostok-2022 strategic command and staff exercise will be held under the command of the chief of Russia's General Staff, Valery Gerasimov, according to Russian News Agency, TASS.   The exercises are expected to take place till September 5.   The Russian Defense Ministry had stated, earlier, that during the drills the participating forces would practice measures to maintain military security in the eastern region. India had inked the USD 5.43 billion deal with Russia for five squadrons of S-400s in October 2018. Marking the occasion of the 75th anniversary of the Russian-Indian diplomatic ties, Russian Ambassador to India Denis Alipov in June said that the S-400 Triumf air defense missile system is proceeding well and in accordance with the schedule.   Source: ANI  

Indian External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar on Wednesday said that the Vaccine Maitri exercise has been a strong statement and defines what India is to the world.   "I think, Vaccine Maitri has been a very strong statement. Very often when I go to Africa to other countries in Asia, or meet with my counterparts in the Caribbean or the Pacific Island. I will say today perhaps if there's a single action, which for them defines what is India, then it is actually been the Vaccine Maitri exercise," Jaishankar said at an ICCR event.   He said India is increasingly perceived as a tech-friendly society and the generosity of India has also come through in different ways.   "India today, when it comes to soft power is a polity, which expresses its beliefs, which practices its values, which is very proud of its way of life. We obviously will not allow it to be diminished or denigrated," Jaishankar said while talking about the soft power.   Mentioning India's progress, he said, "I think India today is progressing, which is embracing modernity while preserving and even enriching its traditions."   Jaishankar also mentioned that India enriches the world more by example than by aggressive advocacy. "The message of Vasudhaiva Kutumbakam in many ways, expresses that middle path when it comes to coexistence and pluralism," he concluded.   In January 2021, India launched the Vaccine Maitri (Vaccine Friendship) initiative - a major diplomatic effort to gift and supply made-in-India vaccines to low-income and developing countries globally.   Bangladesh, Myanmar, Nepal, Bhutan, Maldives, Mauritius, Sri Lanka, Brazil, Morocco, South Africa, Afghanistan, Mexico, DR Congo, Nigeria, United Kingdom, and many other countries were among some of the beneficiaries of the Vaccine Maitri initiative.   India kicked off international shipments of the vaccines on January 20, 2021, only four days after starting its own vaccination program. Bhutan and Maldives were the first countries to receive vaccines as a grant from India. Source: ANI