India’s armed forces are set to launch a four-day tri-service exercise on drone and counter-drone warfare — codenamed Exercise Cold Start — from Tuesday, marking a major step towards enhancing integrated combat readiness in modern aerial warfare.
The drill, to be conducted across key military locations in Babina and Mhow in Central India, will for the first time bring together the Army, Navy and Air Force for joint operations in the drone domain following Operation Sindoor, officials said.
The Integrated Defence Staff will oversee the exercise, which is expected to test interoperability, surveillance precision, and real-time countermeasure capabilities against unmanned aerial threats. Chief of Defence Staff Gen Anil Chauhan is scheduled to witness one of the sessions, officials confirmed.
The significance of the exercise lies in its focus on coordinated drone deployment and defence, a field that has rapidly evolved after Operation Sindoor, when India launched precision drone strikes on terror bases inside Pakistan. The operation, they said, saw both nations employing drones, but Indian systems, including indigenous and imported models, dealt substantial blows to Pakistani military and terrorist infrastructure.
Also read: Operation Sindoor wasn’t aimed to start war with Pak: Rajnath
Pakistani forces’ attempts to retaliate using Turkish and Chinese drones were effectively neutralised, setting a precedent for India’s expanding drone defence network. The ongoing exercise aims to translate those lessons into doctrine, strengthening India’s preparedness for hybrid and technology-driven conflicts.
Officials said the joint drill will also evaluate command integration, target acquisition, and artificial intelligence-assisted drone operations, areas central to India’s evolving defence strategy.
Exercise Cold Start underscores India’s growing emphasis on indigenous drone technology, inter-service synergy, and a forward posture against evolving aerial threats.
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