Sydney, July 13, 2025 – India is among 19 nations participating in Talisman Sabre 2025, one of Australia’s largest and most advanced military drills, which began on Sunday. The biennial exercise, now in its 11th edition, involves over 35,000 military personnel and features live-fire drills, amphibious landings, and multi-domain operations.
Key Details of the Exercise
Participants: Forces from Australia, the U.S., Canada, Fiji, France, Germany, India, Indonesia, Japan, the Netherlands, New Zealand, Norway, Papua New Guinea, the Philippines, South Korea, Singapore, Thailand, Tonga, and the U.K. Malaysia and Vietnam are attending as observers.
Locations: Training will span Queensland, Northern Territory, Western Australia, New South Wales, Christmas Island, and—for the first time—Papua New Guinea.
Drills: Activities include ground manoeuvres, air combat simulations, maritime operations, and the debut of new Australian Defence Force assets like UH-60M Black Hawks and Precision Strike Missiles.
Opening Ceremony
The exercise was officially inaugurated at Garden Island, Sydney, by Vice-Admiral Justin Jones (Chief of Joint Operations, Royal Australian Navy) and Lieutenant General Joel B. Vowell (Commanding General, U.S. Army Pacific).
Significance
Talisman Sabre strengthens military interoperability among allied nations, enhancing readiness for complex security challenges in the Indo-Pacific. India’s participation underscores its growing defence ties with Australia and other partner nations.
The drills will continue over the next three weeks, showcasing advanced warfare strategies and joint operational capabilities.