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The Indian Army successfully conducted a large-scale drone and counter-drone exercise called the ‘Vayu Samanvay-II’ from October 28-29 under the aegis of the Southern Command to test the military’s preparedness for next-generation warfare, according to the Ministry of Defence. The Army conducted the exercise by integrating various aerial and ground assets and the fusion of multi-domain command and control centres in a realistic, electronic warfare and contested operational environment, the ministry said in an official statement. Vayu Samanvay-II also showcased joint interoperability between various arms of the Indian Army, reinforcing coordination for technology-enabled operations in sensitive frontier regions. The exercise enabled troops to experiment with indigenous technologies in an an operational environment, as per the statement. The two-day exercise focused on developing and testing doctrinal precepts for drone and counter-drone operations, strengthening the Indian Army’s response capability against evolving aerial threats. The desert terrain and weather conditions provided an ideal testing ground for both operations. Lieutenant General Dhiraj Seth, General Officer-in-Commanding Chief Southern Command, complimented the success of the exercise, saying it will directly contribute to capability development and accelerated induction of drone and counter-drone systems in the Indian Army. The exercise is a significant step in the Indian Army’s efforts to embrace modern technology in a multi-domain environment. The Indian Army is working on modernising its operational capability after exchanging cross-border fire with neighbouring Pakistan in the wake of Operation Sindoor, where the Indian Armed Forces launched precise strikes on Pakistani terror hideouts in retaliation for a terrorist attack in J&K’s Pahalgam. The Defence Ministry said the exercise reaffirmed the Indian Army’s vision to build a technology-driven, agile, and future-ready force capable of dominating the evolving battlespace. The Army remains committed to fostering innovation and ensuring readiness to counter emerging threats across all domains, it said.
