Top commanders of the Indian Army, Navy, and Air Force convened aboard the aircraft carrier INS Vikrant to witness a dynamic display of joint operational capabilities as part of Exercise Trishul.

The exercise, spanning diverse terrains from the Thar Desert to Gujarat’s Kutch region, culminates with an amphibious landing operation showcasing integrated tri-service power projection.

Lieutenant General Dhiraj Seth, General Officer Commanding-in-Chief of the Southern Command, Vice Admiral Krishna Swaminathan, Flag Officer Commanding-in-Chief of the Western Naval Command, and Air Marshal Nagesh Kapoor, Air Officer Commanding-in-Chief of the South Western Air Command, jointly reviewed multi-domain manoeuvres conducted under the exercise’s framework.

Aboard INS Vikrant, the senior commanders observed carrier-borne flying operations and underway replenishment drills off the Saurashtra coast. The Western Naval Command shared images of the event on social media, underscoring the joint presence of the three commanders as a powerful demonstration of interoperability and integrated warfighting potential.

According to a naval official, the evening demonstration symbolised growing synergy among the services and their capacity to deliver “effect-based” operations in complex maritime and multi-domain environments. The activity also reflected advances in carrier battle group operations and logistics coordination at sea.

Exercise Trishul, a multi-domain tri-service endeavour, has seen extensive activity across India’s western and southern fronts over the past two weeks. From the dunes of the Thar Desert to the coastal approaches of Gujarat, the Army, Navy and Air Force have conducted integrated mission-specific drills covering land, sea and air domains.

In the Thar Desert, the Indian Army spearheaded Exercises MaruJwala and Akhand Prahaar to validate combined arms tactics, mobility and joint fire integration under realistic battlefield conditions. The operations featured air-land coordination with close support from IAF fighter aircraft and rotary assets.

The grand culmination takes place with amphibious landings off Porbandar on the Saurashtra coast, where the Southern Command’s amphibious forces are set to conduct beach assault operations. These simulate real-world scenarios requiring synchronised deployment of Army, Navy and Air Force elements for power projection in littoral environments.

Rehearsals held on Wednesday validated loading, embarkation and assault sequencing between amphibious platforms and supporting air elements. Officials described the operation as a critical test of precision timing, communication networks and joint command structures.

In the Kutch sector, a separate joint exercise involved the Army, Navy, Air Force, Coast Guard and Border Security Force, supported by the civil administration. This phase demonstrated the military’s capability to respond to complex contingencies through coordinated civil-military integration, aligning with the government’s vision of “whole-of-nation” defence readiness.

Complementing this, the Indian Air Force executed Exercise MahaGujRaj-25 from 29 October to 11 November. The western sector drills included operations from Rajkot’s Hirasar International Airport, highlighting civil aviation infrastructure’s potential role in combat-support tasks. The IAF showcased dispersed operations, electronic warfare coordination, and real-time ISR integration with ground and maritime units.

The Ministry of Defence emphasised that Exercise Trishul encapsulates the armed forces’ commitment to the triad of “Jointness, Atmanirbharta and Innovation” — or JAI. The exercise encompasses electronic warfare, cyber defence, drone and counter-drone operations, and intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance (ISR) missions across multiple theatres.

Beyond traditional manoeuvres, it reflects India’s advancing operational philosophy—where kinetic capabilities are augmented by digital and network-centric warfare competencies. The event underscores the ability to conduct simultaneously coordinated joint fires across land, air and sea domains, ensuring dominance in both physical and virtual battlespaces.

Exercise Trishul thus stands as a defining demonstration of India’s evolving military doctrine focused on interoperability, indigenous capability enhancement and strategic self-reliance.

Based On PTI Report