New Delhi: Indian and Indonesian special forces began Exercise Garuda Shakti in Banyuwangi, Indonesia, on Tuesday, with training focused on jungle warfare and coordination during special operations. The 11th edition of the bilateral exercise will run until November 6, bringing together troops from the Indian Army’s Parachute Regiment (Special Forces) and Indonesian special forces.
The programme covers combat shooting, obstacle crossing, mountaineering and air assault training, alongside physically demanding drills to prepare troops for operational conditions. Participants will also exchange information on weapons, equipment and operational procedures, the defence ministry said in its statement announcing the exercise.
The training is intended to help the two contingents understand each other’s methods and improve their ability to operate together. It will conclude with a simulated operational mission to assess their endurance, coordination and combat readiness.
From mountain terrain to jungle operations
This year’s emphasis on jungle operations follows the previous edition at the Special Forces Training School in Bakloh, Himachal Pradesh, from December 3 to 12, 2025. That exercise included counterterrorism drills, sniping, helicopter-borne operations and planning for drone, counter-drone and loitering munition strikes in semi-mountainous terrain.
Indonesian reporting from the opening ceremony in Banyuwangi also described training in forest and mountain terrain, with Indian and Indonesian personnel organized into mixed teams for initial activities. The arrangement is intended to develop communication and teamwork before participants move to more complex tactical exercises.
Wider defence engagement
Garuda Shakti forms part of a broader programme of military cooperation between New Delhi and Jakarta, which also includes the Samudra Shakti naval exercise. At their third defence ministers’ dialogue in New Delhi on November 27, 2025, the two countries agreed to continue officer exchanges, joint training and visits to defence education institutions.
The dialogue also covered potential cooperation in technology transfer, joint research and development, and defence supply chains. Both sides reaffirmed their commitment to maritime security cooperation in the Indian Ocean, placing the special forces training within a wider defence relationship spanning operational exchanges and industrial collaboration.