Modi to witness 'Bharat Shakti' tri-services exercise in Rajasthan today
Prime Minister Narendra Modi will on Tuesday witness the war exercise "Bharat Shakti" at the Pokhran field firing range in Rajasthan. This 50-minute event will display the power of India's homegrown defense equipment across all three military branches. "It will showcase the 'shock and awe' that the three services seek to achieve in an operational situation by employing maneuver and fighting capabilities effectively," Additional Director General, Army Design Bureau, Major General C S Mann said.
Spotlight on indigenous defense equipment during the exercise
The 'Bharat Shakti' exercise will feature a range of platforms, including LCA Tejas, ALH Mk-IV, LCH Prachand, mobile anti-drone systems, BMP-II and its variants, NAMICA (Nag Missile Carrier), T90 tanks, Dhanush, K9 Vajra, and Pinaka rockets. The event will highlight India's focus on "Atmanirbharta" (self-reliance) in defense by showcasing systems integrated with artificial intelligence (AI) and live multi-domain operations using indigenous equipment.
Special Forces, MARCOS, and GARUDS to participate
The event will kick off with the Army's Special Forces, MARCOS of the Indian Navy, and GARUDS of the Indian Air Force "infiltrating by all-terrain vehicles and slithering operations." Remotely piloted aircraft and drones will surveil the battlefield, followed by long-range vectors and artillery guns degrading targets. The Indian Air Force will engage strategic targets while the Navy conducts maritime operations for strategic effects. Some naval segments will be displayed digitally on screen.
Advanced technologies and multi-domain operations on display
The exercise will also display various types of Radar, Unmanned aerial vehicle-launched precision-guided munition, Quick Reaction Fighting Vehicles, drones of various types, including logistic drones, and 3D-printed bunkers. India's cyber and multi-domain operations capabilities will also be integrated with the three services' operations. The "e-Tarang" software tool will demonstrate the integration of individual communication systems of the tri-services, along with GIS-related systems, topographical maps, hydrographic charts, and air navigation charts with analysis and operational planning capabilities.
PM to interact with Pokhran's constituents after war exercise
After the war exercise, PM Modi is likely to have a dialog with the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) workers, youth and women of Pokhran Assembly constituency. The BJP officials have planned to have about a thousand people at the programme, including 700 local youth and women, reports said. Along with PM Modi, Defence Minister Rajnath Singh, Rajasthan Chief Minister Bhajan Lal Sharma, Union Jal Shakti Minister Gajendra Singh Shekhawat, among others will be present to witness the war exercise.