3 month long 2025 TROPEX exercise of Indian Navy concludes

The mega Indian Navy’s 3 month long Theatre Level Operational Exercise (TROPEX) concluded in early March 2025. The biennial Tropex exercise, which commenced in January 2025 after the successful conclusion of the Sea Vigil Exercise, focused on the enhancement of the Indian Navy’s combat capability across the Indian ocean especially in the Arabian Sea and Bay of Bengal theater.

The exercise was conducted in both harbour and sea phase. The exercise included AMPHEX,an Amphibious Exercise , a Joint Work Up Phase focused on precise delivery of ordnance on target, Cyber and Electronic Warfare, and a Tactical Phase.

About Theater Level TROPEX Exercise  

Theater in the military means an area where a war or battle is likely to happen in future. The battleground could be in water, air or land. The Indian Navy’s prime objective is to protect India from threats emanating from the sea.

The theater of the TROPEX 2025 exercise of the India Navy was spread across the Indian Ocean encompassing the Arabian Sea to the Bay of Bengal.

The exercise area covered approximately from 4300 nautical miles from North to South upto 35 degree South Latitude.

It covered 5000 nautical miles from the strait of Hormuz in the West to the Sunda and Lombok Straits in the East.

Frequency of the TROPEX exercise 

The TROPEX exercise is a biennial exercise hosted by the Indian Navy. 

The first Tropex exercise was held in 2003 and since then it is being held every two years.

Participants of the 2025 TROPEX exercise 

The TROPEX exercise is mainly an Indian Navy exercise with participation by the Indian Army, Indian Air Force and Indian Coast Guard units.

The Indian Navy deployed 65 Ships, 09 Submarines and over 80 Aircrafts of different types.The indigenous aircraft carrier Vikrant, Visakhapatnam and Kolkata Class destroyers, Kalvari Class submarines and aircraft fleet comprising MiG 29K, P8I maritime reconnaissance plane,  remotely piloted aircraft system MQ-9B Sea Guardian Sea and MH-60R Seahawk helicopters.

Participation of Other Forces 

With the government’s emphasis on interoperability amongst the armed forces the plan of an integrated theater command  the Indian Army and the Indian Air Force contingency deployed their weapon system and personnel in the TROPEX exercise.

The Indian Army deployed its infantry brigade with over 600 troops.

The Indian Air Force deployed its  Sukhoi-30, Jaguar fighter aircraft. It also deployed its transport plane C-130, flight refueler planes and AWACS aircraft.

The Indian Coast Guard deployed its 10 ships in the exercise.