Mitra Shakti Exercise is a 12 days bilateral military exercise between India and Sri Lanka. This Exercise is conducted regularly every year. In 2021, its 8th edition took place in Sri Lanka from 4th to 16th October 2021. The two countries signed the agreement for conducting this exercise on 12 November 2004 in New Delhi on the sidelines of the Indo-Sri Lanka Summit. This agreement takes off from the earlier agreements signed between both the countries in 1998 and 2003. The Exercise is aimed at strengthening military ties and enhancing interoperability between the two armies.

Indo-Sri Lanka Joint Military Exercise:

The exercise is conducted in a spirit of mutual cooperation and confidence-building and is aimed at familiarising the armed forces of both countries with their operational procedures, techniques, and tactics. This exercise constitutes a vital element of India-Sri Lanka bilateral defence relations, which entered a new era of cooperation in the 1990s.

The Mitra Shakti Exercise is conducted every year on different dates, and it involves the armed forces of both countries. It encompasses all the arms and services of both sides, including para-military forces, coast guard, and others.

This exercise assumes three components to be successfully completed under the three phases, namely:

The first phase completes training in conventional areas, including artillery, infantry, and armored units, parachuting of combat units, helicopters for casualty evacuation, and medical evacuation. It involves the exercise of the coast guard, paramilitary and special forces. Other activities include the live firing of artillery and rockets by both sides, airborne operations, and joint military maneuvers between both armies.

The second phase deals with joint operations, including the live firing of artillery (82mm mortars & 120mm mortars) with air support to ground forces in full-scale combat situations. This phase also includes joint military maneuvers by both the armed forces. This phase also involves parachuting of combat units, helicopters for casualty evacuation, and medical evacuation.

The last phase allows the armed forces to fully test their skills, capabilities, and procedures in joint military maneuvers between both armies.

The exercise provides an opportunity for both sides to improve their knowledge of the capabilities required for simulated ground and air operations. Besides, it would help in ensuring confidence, cooperation, and a common understanding for joint operations between the armed forces of both countries.

It also helps the armed forces of both countries by improving their mutual trust and interoperability.

At the same time, it enables them to devise procedures and techniques to ensure the safety of both sides while they are carrying on such joint operations. It also provides an opportunity to test new military tactics and operational procedures in a real battle environment with minimum use of resources.

This will help both armies in their effort to be prepared for any eventualities in the region, including a threat of conventional or sub-conventional conflict.

Facts About Exercise Mitra Shakti:

Following are the key facts about Exercise Mitra Shakti:

• The exercise is conducted in a spirit of mutual cooperation and confidence-building.
• It is aimed at familiarising the armed forces of both countries with their operational procedures, techniques, and tactics.
• The exercise constitutes a vital element of India-Sri Lanka bilateral defence relations, which entered a new era of cooperation in the 1990s.
• The exercise provides an opportunity for both sides to improve their knowledge of the capabilities required for simulated ground and air operations.
• It also helps in ensuring confidence, cooperation, and a common understanding for joint operations between the armed forces of both countries.
• The exercise also helps in enhancing mutual trust and interoperability between the two countries armed forces.
• It also helps to establish mutual capability, capacity, and capability as far as interoperability is concerned.
• Both countries look forward to conducting this exercise every year as it gives them an opportunity to hone and test themselves in a joint battle environment which will help them carry out such operations under any contingency in the future.
• The Exercise will provide an excellent opportunity to test our capabilities and procedures, especially as far as aircraft operations are concerned.
• It is a significant demonstration of India’s commitment to regional security and stability.

Benefits of Indo-Sri Lanka Joint Military Exercise:

• It provides an opportunity to exchange experiences and insights with each other.
• It helps both armies to work closely with each other, improving their ability to fight side by side in future conflicts.
• It also helps to improve the ability of both armies to fight in a joint combat environment.
• It helps both nations by enhancing their mutual trust and interoperability.
• Other benefits include a consolidated understanding of each other’s procedures, logistics, and tactics, which will help them fight jointly in future crises or wars.

Conclusion: 

All the facts about Exercise Mitra Shakti indicate that by conducting the joint military exercise “Mitra Shakti,” India and Sri Lanka have consolidated their mutual trust, confidence, and combat readiness. Both armies look forward to conducting this exercise every year as it gives them an opportunity to hone and test themselves in a joint battle environment which will help them carry out such operations under any contingency in the future. The exercise is aimed at familiarizing the armed forces of both countries with their operational procedures, techniques, and tactics. It also provides an excellent opportunity to test our capabilities and procedures.