The India-Australia Joint Military Exercise AUSTRAHIND 2026 began on Monday at the Foreign Training Node in Thiruvananthapuram, Kerala, with a focus on coordinated operations in coastal and island terrain, surveillance and reconnaissance, India's Ministry of Defence said. The ANI news agency reported that the fifth edition of the exercise will run from October 19 to November 1.
Approximately 120 personnel each from the Indian Army and the Australian Army are taking part. The Indian contingent includes troops from the Garhwal Rifles, along with personnel from other arms and services, while the Australian contingent comprises troops from 13 Brigade, according to The Hindu BusinessLine.
The exercise is being conducted under the theme "Joint Sub-Conventional Operations in Island and Coastal Environment under Chapter VII of the UN Mandate," aimed at enhancing interoperability, jointmanship and operational coordination between the two armies. As a first, an observer delegation from New Zealand is also participating in the exercise, the Ministry said.
Personnel from both armies will engage in joint planning, tactical drills and combat-oriented training under realistic operational conditions, covering aerial and maritime dimensions, including protection of vital installations and response to humanitarian assistance and disaster relief contingencies. The previous edition took place at Irwin Barracks in Perth, Australia, in October 2025, and officials say the latest iteration will further strengthen military-to-military cooperation and mutual trust between the two Indo-Pacific partners.
Training will include joint operational planning, tactical drills and combat-oriented exercises under realistic conditions, incorporating aerial and maritime dimensions. The two sides will practise surveillance and reconnaissance, the protection of vital installations and coordinated responses to humanitarian assistance and disaster relief contingencies, the Ministry of Defence said. For the first time, a team of observers from New Zealand has joined the exercise to watch how the Indian and Australian troops plan and carry out operations together.
The previous edition was held at Irwin Barracks in Perth, Australia, in October 2025, and the latest iteration is expected to deepen military-to-military engagement and strengthen mutual trust between the two countries. Officials say the drills reinforce a shared commitment to peace, stability and security in the Indo-Pacific region at a time of growing strategic competition.