Exercise Talisman Sabre 2025
** Latest News (2025 Current Affairs)**
- India joins 18 nations in Talisman Sabre 2025, Australia's largest bilateral military drill with the US.
- Participants: 35,000+ personnel from 19 countries + 2 observers (Malaysia, Vietnam).
- Focus: Amphibious landings, air combat, maritime ops, and ground maneuvers across Australian training areas.
** Key Facts & Objectives**
| Aspect | Details |
|---|---|
| Nature | Biennial Australia-US bilateral exercise (since 2005) with multinational participation |
| Primary Goal | Strengthen interoperability for a "free & open Indo-Pacific" |
| Scale | Largest-ever warfighting exercise in Australia (11th edition) |
| Indian Role | Enhances strategic ties with Quad allies (US, Japan, Australia) |
** Participant Countries**
Full Participants (19):
Australia, USA, Canada, Fiji, France, Germany, India, Indonesia, Japan, Netherlands, New Zealand, Norway, PNG, Philippines, ROK (South Korea), Singapore, Thailand, Tonga, UK.
Observers (2): Malaysia, Vietnam
** Strategic Significance for India**
- Quad Synergy: Complements Malabar Exercise (naval) with focus on joint ground/air ops.
- Act East Policy: Deepens defense ties with ASEAN (Indonesia, Philippines) and Pacific islands (Fiji, PNG).
- Diversified Partnerships: First major drill with Germany/Norway in Indo-Pacific.
- Countering China: Reinforces collective security in contested regions (South China Sea, Pacific).