With the presence of the Indian Navy’s aircraft carrier INS Vikrant (IAC-1), since November 2 the Armed Forces have been carrying out the joint exercise Trishul, which has become one of the most important in the annual calendar. Taking into account the regional context, the Army, Navy, and Air Force tested their capabilities and joint work across different domains and locations throughout the country.
From the Thar Desert to the Kutch region and the Arabian Sea, the Indian Armed Forces began the Trishul exercise two weeks ago with the objective of testing their capabilities and strengthening preparedness for different scenarios, covering topics ranging from electronic warfare to anti-drone operations. Among other key objectives were improving platform and infrastructure interoperability, strengthening network integration among the services, and promoting joint operations across multiple domains.
At this point, it is important to mention that the activities have been carried out under the leadership of the Indian Navy. Based on this, the exercise extended to the coast of Gujarat and the northern Arabian Sea, areas where a significant component made up of naval and air elements was deployed. Specifically, warships, combat aircraft, and Air Force support assets took part in different phases, while the amphibious elements of the Army and Navy conducted amphibious assault operations, with notable participation from the landing ship INS Jalashwa and the utility landing craft (LCU).
As part of the exercise’s conclusion, scheduled for today, the commanders of the three forces boarded the aircraft carrier INS Vikrant to witness an operational demonstration of the air operations and replenishment tasks carried out aboard the flagship as part of its daily activities.
In detail, INS Vikrant is the first aircraft carrier built entirely in India—an achievement considered strategic not only because of the technological leap it represented for the local industry but also because of the capabilities it added to the Navy. Commissioned in 2022, its construction by Cochin Shipyard Limited began in 2009 and it was launched in 2013. Its design uses a STOBAR system (ski-jump take-off and arrested recovery), the same employed by INS Vikramaditya and by Chinese and Russian aircraft carriers.
Furthermore, the ship can operate up to 30 aircraft, including MiG-29K/KUB fighters, MH-60R Seahawk and ALH Dhruv helicopters, and Kamov Ka-31 early-warning aircraft—forming an air group capable of carrying out air-defense, anti-submarine-warfare, and amphibious-support missions. One of the latest developments regarding its embarked air group was the take-off and landing of HAL Tejas fighters, hinting at the possibility of expanding the capabilities of the Indian Navy.
Finally, it is worth recalling that, with the goal of strengthening the local defense industry, local media reported in 2024 that India is considering moving forward with the construction of a second Vikrant-class aircraft carrier for the Navy.
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