T’puram: The fifth edition of the India-Australia joint military exercise, AustraHind, began in Thiruvananthapuram, with around 120 personnel each from the Indian and Australian armies participating in the exercise scheduled to continue until Nov 1 at Adimalathura beach near Vizhinjam.The Indian contingent comprises troops from the Garhwal Rifles and personnel from other arms and services, while the Australian contingent includes soldiers from the 13th Brigade. The fourth edition of the exercise was held at Irwin Barracks in Perth, Australia, from Oct 13 to 26, 2025.The exercise focuses on joint sub-conventional operations in island and coastal environments under a United Nations mandate. It aims to enhance interoperability, joint operational capabilities and coordination between the two armies while developing a common understanding of tactics, techniques and procedures required for operations in island and coastal terrain.The training programme includes joint planning, tactical drills and combat-oriented training in realistic operational scenarios involving land, air and maritime domains. The troops will also train in coordinated operations in island and coastal environments, surveillance and reconnaissance, protection of vital installations, and responses to humanitarian assistance and disaster relief situations.For the first time, an observer delegation from New Zealand will also participate in the exercise.AustraHind is expected to strengthen military cooperation, mutual trust and interoperability between India and Australia. The exercise will also reinforce the two countries’ shared commitment to peace, stability, and security in the Indo-Pacific region.
