Indian Army Joins Multinational Exercise in Indonesia
The Indian Army has teamed up with military personnel from the United States, France, Japan, and Indonesia for an important training exercise in Indonesia. The focus of this joint drill is to enhance parachuting skills, specifically landing behind enemy lines.
Forty Indian paratroopers are participating in this ten-day exercise, which wraps up on Friday. Alongside them, 110 members of the Indonesian National Armed Forces, 147 US paratroopers, 17 personnel from Japan, and six soldiers from France are involved.
Lieutenant General M Naudi Nurdika, the Chief of the Indonesian Army, stated that the airborne training is aimed at improving the tactical skills of troops in executing air landings directly into enemy territory. He emphasized that this exercise is crucial for the five countries to align their operational procedures and assess their capability to conduct coordinated actions in response to regional crises.
The exercise has been designed to boost the paratroopers’ ability to carry out safe and accurate airborne maneuvers. Participants have conducted static-line jumps from an altitude of 1,200 feet at the Baturaja landing area in Ogan Komering Ulu District, using two Indonesian C-130 aircraft supported by three C-130s from the US Air Force.
Taking place in South Sumatra, this joint exercise is part of the larger Super Garuda Shield, which involves about 6,000 military personnel from 15 different countries. This year, the Super Garuda Shield exercise is being held in several strategic areas across Indonesia, including Jakarta, Bandung, Lampung, and North Kalimantan, highlighting its extensive training scope.
Other countries participating in this multinational event include Australia, the Netherlands, Brazil, Brunei Darussalam, the United Kingdom, Italy, Germany, Cambodia, Canada, South Korea, Laos, New Zealand, Singapore, Thailand, Timor-Leste, and Vietnam.
Strengthening India-Indonesia Relations
Relations between India and Indonesia have recently taken a significant step forward. On July 7, Prime Minister Narendra Modi met with Indonesian President Prabowo Subianto, leading to a joint announcement on cooperation regarding the BrahMos missile. This agreement positions Indonesia as the third nation, after the Philippines and Vietnam, to acquire this advanced missile system, which could shift the regional balance in an area that China considers crucial.
The BrahMos missile, developed through a partnership between India and Russia, may not fully level the playing field against China’s military capabilities, but it establishes a foundation for deterrence against unilateral military actions. Given Indonesia’s strategic location encompassing four major sea routes—the Mallaca, Lumbok, Sunda, and Ombai-Wetar—this missile system is particularly significant, aimed at reinforcing maritime security in an increasingly contested region.
