India–Indonesia Launch 10th Edition of Garuda Shakti Special Forces Exercise

Why in News ?

The 10th edition of Exercise Garuda Shakti, the joint Special Forces military exercise between India and Indonesia, has begun at the Special Forces Training School, Bakloh, Himachal Pradesh.

About Exercise Garuda Shakti

Exercise Garuda Shakti is a bilateral Special Forces exercise conducted annually between India and Indonesia, aimed at enhancing defence cooperation and strengthening operational synergy.

Participating Contingents

• India: Troops from The Parachute Regiment (Special Forces)
• Indonesia: Special Forces personnel from the Indonesian Army

Aim of the Exercise

The main objective is to:

• Strengthen mutual understanding
• Enhance interoperability
• Improve coordination in Special Forces operations

Focus Areas of Training

The exercise covers an extensive range of counter-terrorism and Special Forces operations, including:

• Troop-level tactics, techniques and procedures
• Unarmed combat techniques
• Combat shooting & sniping
• Heliborne operations
• Planning and execution of drone, counter-UAS and loiter-munition strikes
• Training conducted in semi-mountainous terrain
  

Key Objectives

• Exchange of Expertise: Sharing knowledge on weapons, equipment and operational practices.
• Joint Validation: Conducting simulated real-world operational scenarios.
• Testing Readiness: Assessing endurance, coordination and combat preparedness.

Significance of the Exercise

• Deepens India–Indonesia defence cooperation
• Enhances joint counter-terrorism capabilities
• Strengthens military diplomacy in the Indo-Pacific
• Builds long-term trust and operational compatibility between both Special Forces