India launches massive ‘Trishul’ military exercise near Pakistan border; Islamabad on high alert
New Delhi: The strategic balance along the India–Pakistan border has shifted dramatically as India launched its ‘Trishul’ tri-service military exercise along the Gujarat and Rajasthan frontier.
The large-scale drill, involving the Army, Navy, and Air Force, comes in the wake of Operation Sindhoor, and has triggered unease in Pakistan, which has reportedly shut down sections of its airspace and increased naval vigilance across its western coast.
The 12-day Trishul exercise began on Thursday, marking the first such coordinated tri-service operation since Operation Sindhoor. Senior defence officials said the exercise aims to enhance jointness, interoperability, and combat readiness among India’s armed forces. It also serves as a visible show of India’s military capability amid Pakistan’s renewed activities along the Sir Creek region.
According to defence sources, the exercise features an array of India’s most sophisticated assets — T-90 tanks, BrahMos missile systems, Akash air defence batteries, Pralay tactical missiles, Prachand attack helicopters, and advanced fighter jets including Rafale and Sukhoi Su-30 MKI aircraft. The Indian Navy has deployed Kolkata-class destroyers, Nilgiri-class frigates, and Sea Guardian drones, reflecting full-spectrum warfare preparedness.
The Gujarat–Rajasthan belt, particularly the Kutch sector, is the main theatre for the Trishul exercise. Its proximity to the Pakistan border has raised concerns in Islamabad. Sources suggest the Pakistan Air Force has temporarily closed several air corridors and placed naval and ground assets on alert, fearing a potential Indian military maneuver under the so-called ‘Operation Sindhoor 2.0’.
Tensions have been rising since Defence Minister Rajnath Singh’s stern warning to Pakistan over alleged encroachments in the Sir Creek area — a disputed maritime stretch dividing Gujarat’s Rann of Kutch and Sindh province. Singh had cautioned that any attempt to alter geography there would have “serious consequences,” a statement that now appears symbolically reinforced by the launch of Trishul.
Pakistan’s military recently expanded its fortifications along Sir Creek, installing radars, bunkers, and forward operating bases, and deploying surveillance drones. Pakistan Navy Chief Admiral Naveed Ashraf visited forward posts last week, pledging to defend “every inch of our maritime frontier.”
India’s Trishul exercise, therefore, stands as a strong strategic message — reaffirming India’s combat readiness, deterrence posture, and tri-service synergy. Meanwhile, Pakistani defence sources confirm a state of high alert across southern Sindh and coastal installations, signaling that India’s military thunder has indeed rattled its western neighbor.
