INDIAN ARMY successfully conducted a largescale drone and counter-drone exercise, Vayu Samanvay-II, from October 28 to 29 in forward areas of desert sector under the aegis of Pune-headquartered Southern Command. The exercise was designed to validate Army’s preparedness for next-generation warfare by integrating various aerial and ground assets and fusion of multi-domain command and control centres in a realistic, electronic warfare and contested operational environment.
“The two-day exercise focused on developing and testing doctrinal precepts for drone and counter drone operations strengthening the Indian Army’s response capability against evolving aerial threats. The desert terrain and weather conditions provided an ideal testing ground for the both operations,” a press statement from Army said.
“Vayu Samanvay-II also showcased joint interoperability between various arms of Indian Army reinforcing coordination for technology-enabled operations in sensitive frontier regions. The exercise enabled troops to experiment with indigenous technologies under operational environment,” the release stated.
Lieutenant General Dhiraj Seth, General Officer-in-Commanding Chief, Southern Command complimented the success of Exercise Vayu Samanvay II. Lessons from Exercise Vayu Samanvay II will directly contribute to capability development and accelerated induction of drone and counter-drone systems in the Army. The exercise is a significant step in the Army’s efforts to embrace modern technology in a multi-domain environment, the release stated.
The Army has said that it remains committed to modernizing its operational capability, fostering innovation and ensuring readiness to counter emerging threats across all domains. This exercise reaffirms the Indian Army’s vision to build a technology driven, agile, and future-ready force capable of dominating the evolving battlespace.
Currently, Southern Command is also conducting a Joint Exercise ‘Trishul’ with 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.
Troops from Southern Command are actively participating to validate joint operations across diverse and challenging terrains, including offensive manoeuvres in the creek and desert sectors, amphibious operations off the Saurashtra coast, and joint multi-domain operational exercises encompassing Intelligence, Surveillance and Reconnaissance (ISR), Electronic Warfare (EW), and Cyber capabilities.
