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As part of the ongoing high-tempo tri-services exercise Trishul, conducted by the Pune-headquartered Southern Command of the Indian Army, two critical drills — Agni Drishti and the spectrum dominance exercise Trinetra — were carried out over the past two days during the initial phase. The network-centric warfare drill Agni Drishti aimed at integrating land, air, space, and unmanned Intelligence, Surveillance, and Reconnaissance (ISR) assets, while Trinetra focused on electromagnetic spectrum operations and counter-unmanned aerial system kill-chains.
The Southern Command is currently conducting a joint exercise ‘Trishul’ with the Navy and Air Force, with offensive manoeuvres in the creek and desert sectors, and amphibious operations off the Saurashtra coast. The exercise comprises joint multi-domain operational exercises encompassing Intelligence, Surveillance and Reconnaissance (ISR), Electronic Warfare (EW), and Cyber capabilities.
An X post by Southern Command read, “As part of the ongoing Tri-Services Exercise, the Agnibaaz Division of Southern Command conducted Agni Drishti in the Southern Desert, demonstrating theatre-level integration of land, air, space, and unmanned ISR assets into a unified, network-centric sensor-to-shooter grid”. Agnibaaz Division or 41 Artillery Division is a crucial formation of the Strike Corps, also known as the Sudarshan Chakra Corps of the Southern Command.
The theatre-level refers to operations conducted across a broad geographic area involving multiple command formations. Land assets for such drills include the ground-based radars and reconnaissance teams. Air assets, like manned aircraft and Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAVs), give real-time surveillance and targeting data.
Space-based ISR includes satellite-enabled wide-area observation and secure communications. Unmanned systems extend reach into high-risk zones. These systems come together to form a network-centric environment, where all sensors are digitally linked to rapidly share intelligence. The sensor-to-shooter grid-connected detection platforms are directly linked to weapons systems, drastically shortening the time from target identification to engagement.
Officers said that Agni Drishti validated a new decision support architecture seamlessly integrating drones, counter-drone systems, Electronic Warfare assets, and enhanced airspace awareness, leveraging satellite inputs, Artificial Intelligence, and sensor fusion to deliver real-time, multi-domain intelligence. Persistent surveillance through Remotely Piloted missions, Weapon Locating Radar-enabled counter-battery targeting, and deep insertion Special Forces detachments enhanced operational tempo and situational dominance.
According to Southern Command, Exercise Trinetra is aimed at sharpening joint synergy and refining tactics, techniques, and procedures to achieve spectrum dominance.
The concept of spectrum dominance refers to the ability to control the electromagnetic spectrum for communications, surveillance, and combat advantage, while denying the same to the enemy. Electromagnetic Spectrum Operations (EMSO) involve managing and exploiting the spectrum to support military objectives.
The kill-chains are the sequences of actions required to detect, track, and neutralize a threat — in this case, hostile drones, or Unmanned Aerial Systems (UAS). Tri-Services Command and Control implies coordinated efforts among the Army, Navy, and Air Force, while real-time situational awareness ensures up-to-date information flow for timely and accurate decision-making in dynamic operational environments.
A press statement from the Southern Command earlier read, “Prime Minister Narendra Modi has articulated the guiding mantra of JAI – Jointness, Atmanirbharta and Innovation, defining it as the cornerstone of India’s future defence preparedness. Southern Command, under the leadership of Lieutenant General Dhiraj Seth, stands at the forefront of translating this vision into practice. With jointness in its DNA, Southern Command has consistently demonstrated synergy across services, coordinated operational planning, and a deep commitment to Atmanirbharta and innovation-driven transformation.”
