Knowledge Nugget | From Yudh Abhayas to LAMITIYE:  Know India’s 5 recent joint military exercises 

3. Nicknamed the “Arctic Angels,” the US Army’s 11th Airborne Division is its primary unit for extreme cold-weather and Arctic operations.

4. In a statement, the Ministry of Defence said the exercise aims to enhance both armies’ joint military capability to employ Integrated Battle Groups (IBGs) in mountainous and semi-mountainous terrain, with an emphasis on infantry-dominated operations.

5. According to the defence ministry, technology infusion will be a key focus area of the exercise, and the training will include the use of drones and autonomous systems for surveillance and reconnaissance, as well as demonstrations of contemporary weapon systems at Mahajan Field Firing Ranges.

6. The exercise also involves the US Army’s 3rd Multi-Domain Task Force (3MDTF), which introduces advanced long-range precision fires and integrated command-and-control systems into the bilateral framework.

In this context, let’s know about other major military exercises India has participated in recently.

#1. IMBAX 2026: 

— The 5th edition of the India–Myanmar bilateral army exercise IMBAX commenced at the Joint Training Node, Umroi, Meghalaya. The 14-day exercise is being conducted from 15 to 28 September 2026.

— According to the Additional Directorate General of Public Information of the Indian Army, the exercise aims to enhance interoperability and synergy for the conduct of operations under the United Nations mandate through joint training between both armies. 

— It will also provide an opportunity to exchange operational experiences and best practices, while strengthening mutual understanding, camaraderie and military-to-military cooperation. 

 #2. LAMITIYE-2026: 

— The 11th edition of the India-Seychelles joint military exercise LAMITIYE was held at the Seychelles Defence Academy from March 9 to March 20, 2026. 

— It was the first tri-services edition of the joint military exercise between India and Seychelles, which focuses on sub-conventional operations. 

— Tactical drills for neutralisation of likely threats that may be encountered in a semi-urban environment were part of the exercise. 

— The Indian contingent comprised personnel from the Assam Regiment and participation from Indian Navy and Indian Air Force including INS Trikand and a C-130 aircraft. 

— ‘Lamitiye’ meaning ‘friendship’ in Seychelles Creole (Seselwa) language is a biennial training event and has been conducted in Seychelles since 2001.

#3. Sea Dragon 2026: 

— Held at Andersen Air Force Base in Guam, Exercise Sea Dragon 2026 is a United States Navy-led, multinational, Anti-Submarine Warfare (ASW) training activity involving the Indian Navy, Japan Maritime Self-Defense Force, Royal Australian Air Force and the Royal New Zealand Air Force. 

— The exercise is designed to train anti-submarine warfare tactics and to operate together in response to maritime security challenges in the Indo-Pacific region. 

— The multinational exercise was conducted to strengthen cooperation among allied forces of participating nations and improve understanding for better anti-submarine warfare capabilities in the Indo-Pacific region.

#4. MILAN 2026: 

— The 13th edition of the Exercise MILAN 2026, a multilateral war-game exercise, was hosted by the  Indian Navy and culminated on 25th February 2026 with a closing ceremony conducted onboard India’s indigenous aircraft carrier, INS Vikrant, off the coast of Visakhapatnam. 

— It was held under the theme ‘Camaraderie, Cooperation, Collaboration’, and witnessed participation on an unprecedented scale, comprising 75 countries, 42 ships and submarines and 29 aircraft. The exercise sough to enhance interoperability, maritime domain awareness, and collective response capabilities. 

BEYOND THE NUGGET: India’s defence production and exports

1. India’s annual defence production touched an all-time high of Rs 1.78-lakh crore in the 2025-26 financial year (FY), representing a 15.6% growth over the previous fiscal year’s output of Rs 1.54-lakh crore and an 110% increase since 2020-21 (Rs 84,643 crore), as per Ministry of Defence (MoD). 

2. MoD said the indigenous defence production has increased almost four times since 2013-14 (Rs 43,746 crore). Of this, it added, the Defence Public Sector Undertakings and other PSUs accounted for approximately 76% of total production, while the private sector contributed 24%.

3. According to the statement, the growth in defence production over the years has contributed significantly in achieving the record defence exports of Rs 38,424 crore in  Financial Year (FY) 2025-26.

4. India’s defence exports in 2025-26 registered a 62% year-on-year increase over the previous fiscal year’s figure of Rs 23,622 crore.

5. Defence Public Sector Undertakings (DPSUs) and the private sector contributed 54.84% and 45.16% in registering the feat. 

6. MoD has stated that aside from being a successful global partner for systems/sub-systems, India is exporting defence equipment to more than 80 countries as of FY 2025-26, adding that the number of exporters went up to 145 from 128 — a 13.3% rise from the previous fiscal.

Post Read Questions

(1) Which of the following statements about ‘Exercise Mitra Shakti-2023’ are correct? (UPSC CSE, 2024) 

1. This was a joint military exercise between India and Bangladesh.

2. It commenced in Aundh (Pune).

3. Joint response during a counter-terrorism operations was a goal of this operation.

4. Indian Air Force was a part of this exercise.

Select the answer using the code given below:

(a) 1, 2 and 3

(b) 1, 2 and 4

(c) 1, 3 and 4

(d) 2, 3 and 4

(2) What is the common characteristic of the chemical substances generally known as CL-20, HMX and LLM-105, which are sometimes talked about in media? (UPSC CSE, 2025)

(a)These are alternatives to hydro-fluorocarbon refrigerants

(b) These are explosives in military weapons

(c) These are high-energy fuels for cruise missiles

(d) These are fuels for rocket propulsion

Answer key: 1. (d) 2. (b)

(Sources: indianarmy.nic.in, Yudh Abhyas 2026: India-US joint drill brings elite ‘Arctic Angels’ unit into war games, Southern Command troops conduct first India–Seychelles tri-services edition of ‘Lamitiye’, Knowledge Nugget | From Sea Dragon to MILAN: Mapping key defence exercises)

🚨Click Here to read the UPSC Essentials magazine for September 2026. Share your views and suggestions in the comment box or at raveena.baneta@indianexpress.com🚨 

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