Australia’s High Commissioner to India, Philip Green, has highlighted the growing defence partnership between the two countries during a visit to the ongoing joint military exercise AUSTRAHIND 2026 in Thiruvananthapuram, India.
“Train to fight – train to win,” Green wrote in a post on X, after visiting around 120 Australian Army personnel from the 13th Brigade taking part in the exercise. He said closer links between the Australian and Indian armies were becoming increasingly consequential as the two countries deepened their strategic partnership.
The fifth edition of AUSTRAHIND, an annual bilateral military exercise, began on October 19 and is scheduled to run until November 1, bringing together around 120 personnel each from the Indian and Australian armies. The Indian contingent includes troops from the Garhwal Rifles, alongside personnel from other arms and services.
This year’s exercise focuses on joint sub-conventional operations in island and coastal environments. Training activities include tactical drills, combat swimming and ambush exercises, helping troops develop a shared understanding of operational procedures in challenging terrain.
AUSTRAHIND aims to strengthen combat readiness, operational coordination and interoperability between the two armies while building mutual trust. This year’s exercise also includes, for the first time, an observer delegation from New Zealand, adding a regional dimension to the military engagement.
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