India steps up military engagement with Sri Lanka and Malaysia through two joint Army exercises

India has stepped up military engagement with Sri Lanka and Malaysia through two separate joint Army exercises, with Mitra Shakti 2026 having begun in Sri Lanka on Friday and Harimau Shakti scheduled to begin on November 18. The exercises are aimed at strengthening operational coordination, interoperability and bilateral defence cooperation with regional partners.

The 12th edition of Mitra Shakti is being conducted from November 13 to 26 at the Army Training School in Maduru Oya, Sri Lanka.

According to India’s defence ministry, a 170-member Indian defence forces contingent departed for Sri Lanka on Friday. The contingent comprises mainly personnel from the Rajputana Rifles, along with troops from other arms and services and the Indian Air Force.

The Sri Lanka Army separately identified 19 officers and 150 other ranks as the Indian exercise troops. Its own contingent comprises 17 officers and 153 other ranks drawn from several military branches and services, including the Sri Lanka air force.

More than 650 personnel are expected to participate when exercise-control and supporting elements are included, according to the Sri Lanka Army. This figure represents the overall participation and should not be confused with India’s 170-member contingent.

The exercise focuses on counterterrorism operations in semi-urban environments under a United Nations mandate. The Sri Lanka Army has also identified battalion-level combat-team operations in counter-insurgency settings, integrating air support and other combat elements, as a key training objective.

Training activities include joint operational planning, roadblock operations, urban patrolling, convoy protection, area ambushes, crowd dispersal and combined arms operations against fortified positions.

The exercise will conclude with a comprehensive validation drill to assess the tactics, techniques and procedures developed by the participating contingents during training.

Meanwhile, India and Malaysia are preparing to conduct the 2026 edition of their bilateral military exercise, Harimau Shakti, from November 18 to 30.

In an official post on X, the Indian Army’s Additional Directorate General of Public Information (ADGPI) announced preparations for the exercise, highlighting its objectives of enhancing interoperability, strengthening professional military cooperation and fostering mutual understanding between the two armies.

Details regarding the venue, participating regiments, troop strength and training programme have not yet been officially announced.

The previous edition was conducted at the Mahajan Field Firing Range in Rajasthan from December 5 to 18, 2025. The Indian contingent was represented mainly by personnel from the Dogra Regiment, while Malaysia fielded troops from the 25th Battalion of the Royal Malaysian Army.

According to the defence  ministry, the exercise focused on sub-conventional operations under Chapter VII of the United Nations Charter, particularly joint responses during counter-terrorism operations.

Training included cordon-and-search operations, helicopter-borne missions, securing helipads, casualty evacuation, combat reflex shooting and other tactical drills.

The exercise also provided opportunities for both armies to exchange operational experience and improve coordination during joint military operations.

Mitra Shakti, initiated in 2012, is an annual military exercise conducted alternately in India and Sri Lanka.

The two countries signed a memorandum of understanding on defence cooperation in April 2025 during the  prime minister, Narendra Modi’s, visit to Sri Lanka. The agreement provides a framework for expanding military exchanges, training, capacity building and other defence engagements.

India and Sri Lanka also conduct Slinex, a separate bilateral naval exercise, reflecting their broader defence cooperation in the Indian Ocean region.

India’s military relationship with Malaysia has similarly expanded in recent years. The two countries elevated their relationship to a comprehensive strategic partnership in August 2024, identifying defence and security cooperation among the important areas of bilateral engagement.

At the 12th India-Malaysia sub-committee meeting on military cooperation in New Delhi on July 1, 2026, officials reviewed ongoing joint exercises, training exchanges, defence technology cooperation, cyber security and humanitarian assistance and disaster relief.

The two countries also conduct the bilateral naval exercise Samudra Laksamana, further strengthening their maritime cooperation and operational engagement in the Indo-Pacific region.