In News:

The Indian Navy’s biennial TROPEX-25is currently underway in the Indian Ocean Region (IOR) from January to March 2025.

It is the Indian Navy’s largest maritime exercise, aimed at testing combat readiness and integrated warfighting capabilities across all domains.

About TROPEX

• Full Form: Theatre Level Operational Readiness Exercise (TROPEX)
• Frequency: Biennial (every two years)
• Lead Agency: Indian Navy
• Participants:
  • Indian Navy (all operational units)
  • Indian Army (IA)
  • Indian Air Force (IAF)
  • Indian Coast Guard (ICG)

Purpose and Strategic Objectives

TROPEX-25 aims to:

• Validate core warfighting skills of the Indian Navy.
• Ensure a synchronised, integrated response across services to defend India’s maritime interests.
• Simulate real-time operations in a contested maritime environment, including conventional, asymmetric, and hybrid threats.
• Enhance jointness, interoperability, and combat synergy among the three armed forces and the Coast Guard.

Duration and Operational Scope

• Timeline: January to March 2025 (Three months)
• Location: Various sectors across the Indian Ocean Region (IOR)
• Phases:
  • Harbour Phase: Planning and coordination activities.
  • Sea Phase: Execution of complex naval and joint operations.
  • Joint Work-Up Phase: Includes cyber and electronic warfare, and live weapon firings.
  • AMPHEX (Amphibious Exercise): Integrated amphibious operations.

Key Features

• Integrated Combat Operations: Real-time execution of multi-domain missions
• Cyber and Electronic Warfare: Tactical simulations of modern non-kinetic threats
• Live Weapon Firings: Enhancing target precision and battle readiness
• Inter-Service Jointness: High-level coordination across the Navy, Army, Air Force, and Coast Guard
• Maritime Domain Awareness: Surveillance and security operations over vast maritime stretches

Strategic Significance

• Reinforces India’s commitment to safeguarding maritime sovereignty and strategic interests in the Indian Ocean.
• Enhances forward-deployment strategies, logistics, and sustained operations far from the mainland.
• Demonstrates India’s ability to operate “Anytime, Anywhere, Anyhow” in support of national security.