In News:

• India will conduct a major tri-service exercise, ‘Cold Start’, in the first week of October 2025 in Madhya Pradesh.
• The exercise, involving the Army, Navy, and Air Force, will focus on testing drones and counter-drone systems to strengthen the country’s integrated air defence capabilities.
• It is being described as the largest such joint drill since Operation Sindoor.

About Exercise Cold Start

• Nature: A tri-service military exercise designed to simulate aerial threats and defence responses using drones, UAVs, and counter-drone systems.
• Objective:
  • To evaluate operational readiness of the armed forces against evolving aerial threats.
  • To identify technological and procedural gaps in India’s air defence systems.
  • To enhance interoperability and coordination between the three defence services.
• Participants:
  • Indian Army, Navy, and Air Force as primary participants.
  • Supported by industry partners, research and development (R&D) agencies, and academic institutions, fostering a military–industry–academia partnership.

Key Features

• Live demonstrations of drones and counter-drone systems.
• Integration of GPS jamming, electronic warfare, and surveillance technologies.
• Testing of indigenous technologies developed through collaboration between defence R&D and private industry.
• Conceptual inspiration: The integrated air defence approach draws from the Sudarshan Chakra—symbolising a seamless and multi-layered defensive network against drones, UAVs, and hypersonic weapons.

Significance

• Enhances Jointness: Promotes synergy among the three defence services in technology-driven warfare.
• Technological Edge: Strengthens India’s counter-drone warfare capabilities and electronic warfare resilience.
• Strategic Readiness: Demonstrates India’s preparedness to respond to emerging aerial and cyber threats in the evolving domain of modern warfare.
• Defence Innovation: Encourages indigenous R&D and strengthens public–private collaboration in developing next-generation air defence systems.