Top10 Most Powerful Militaries of the World by 2025 (Global Firepower Index)

Introduction

• The Global Firepower Index 2025 identifies the world’s top10 most powerful militaries.
• It focuses on military strength, defence capabilities, and global influence.

Why in news?

• The 2025 Global Firepower Index ranks the top10 militaries, reflecting current power balances.

Background

• This is an annual ranking assessing each nation’s overall power.
• It draws on more than 60 factors, including manpower, equipment, technology, and defence budgets.

Significance

• The 2025 list shows how nations are modernising and reshaping global military power.
• It provides a clear comparison of military readiness and strategic strength.

Facts/General knowledge

• Rank 1: United States — PwrIndx 0.0744
• Rank 2: Russia — PwrIndx 0.0788
• Rank 3: China — PwrIndx 0.0788
• Rank 4: India — PwrIndx 0.1184
• Rank 5: South Korea — PwrIndx 0.1656
• Rank 6: United Kingdom — PwrIndx 0.1785
• Rank 7: France — PwrIndx 0.1878
• Rank 8: Japan — PwrIndx 0.1839
• Rank 9: Turkey — PwrIndx 0.1902
• Rank 10: Italy — PwrIndx 0.2164

Exercise KONKAN25

Introduction

• A bilateral maritime exercise between the Indian Navy and the UK Royal Navy.
• Conducted off India’s western coast.

Why in news?

• The exercise has commenced, marking two decades of growing naval interoperability.

Background

• Exercise Konkan was first held in 2004.
• It is an annual bilateral maritime exercise.

Significance

• Reinforces the Comprehensive Strategic Partnership under the India–UK Vision 2035.
• Demonstrates commitment to a free, open, and secure IndoPacific.
• Consolidates strategic ties, enhances interoperability, and underscores a shared commitment to maritime security.

Facts/General knowledge

• The 2025 edition is the first to feature both nations’ Carrier Strike Groups: HMS Prince of Wales and INS Vikrant.
• The Harbour Phase includes professional exchanges and visits.
• The Sea Phase features antiair, antisurface, and antisubmarine drills with flying operations.
• Other bilateral exercises include Exercise Cobra Warrior, Exercise Indradhanush (Air Force), and AJEYA WARRIOR (Indian Army).

NATPOLREXX: Indian Coast Guard’s National Oil Spill Response Exercise

Introduction

• The Indian Coast Guard successfully conducted the 10th National Level Pollution Response Exercise (NATPOLREXX) off the Chennai coast.
• NATPOLREX is a biennial exercise and a key component of India’s marine environmental protection framework.

 Why in news?

• The 10th edition featured the firstever shoreline cleanup drill at Marina Beach, involving multiple state agencies in a simulated incident.

Background

• NATPOLREX aims to strengthen national preparedness, interagency coordination, and response to marine oil spills under the National Oil Spill Disaster Contingency Plan (NOSDCP).
• Implementation of the NOSDCP is supported by dedicated pollution response infrastructure across key maritime locations.

Significance

• Enhances India’s selfreliance in maritime technology and showcases Make in India initiatives.
• Strengthens multilayered pollution response mechanisms spanning offshore and shoreline environments.
• Supports the strategic need to protect sea lines and ports, with over 75% of India’s energy arriving via seaborne oil.

Facts/General knowledge

• Central Coordinating Authority: The Indian Coast Guard has led national oil spill response since March 1986.
• National Policy Framework: The NOSDCP, drafted by the Indian Coast Guard and approved in 1993, underpins national oil spill preparedness and response.
• Operational Infrastructure: Four Pollution Response Centres are located at Mumbai, Chennai, Port Blair, and Vadinar.

AUSTRAHIND 2025

Introduction

• India–Australia joint military exercise highlighting growing defence cooperation between the two nations.

Why in news?

• An Indian Army contingent has departed for Australia to participate in the fourth edition of the exercise, ‘AUSTRAHIND 2025’.

Background

• Exercise instituted in 2022; the first edition was conducted in Mahajan, Rajasthan.
• Planned as an annual training event conducted alternately in India and Australia.

Significance

• Aims to foster collaborative partnership and share best practices between the two sides.
• Promotes interoperability while undertaking multidomain operations in Urban and SemiUrban terrain under Chapter VII of the United Nations on peace keeping operations.

Facts/General knowledge

• India and Australia became Comprehensive Strategic Partners in 2020 and signed a Mutual Logistics Support Agreement in 2021.
• Both countries also participate in multilateral exercises such as Malabar, Talisman Sabre, and Cope India, reflecting their shared commitment to regional security and interoperability in the IndoPacific.

Samudra Shakti–2025 IndoIndonesian Naval Exercise

Introduction

• Bilateral maritime exercise between the Indian Navy and the Indonesian Navy.
• Designed to conduct complex atsea operations and enhance operational interoperability.

Why in news?

• The Indian Navy is hosting the 5th edition of “Samudra Shakti–2025” at Visakhapatnam.

Background

• Initiated in 2018 as a bilateral naval exercise.
• Launched under India’s Act East Policy to deepen regional engagement with Indonesia.

Significance

• Improves coordination in maritime operations between the two navies.
• Strengthens defence cooperation.
• Reaffirms a shared commitment to peace and stability in the IndoPacific region.

Facts/General knowledge

• Focus areas: Military Interdiction Operations (MIO), Cross Deck Landings, and Air Defence drills.
• Additional drills: Practice Weapon Firings, Replenishment Approaches, and Tactical Manoeuvres.
• Related India–Indonesia exercises:
• Garuda Shakti: Army exercise focused on counterterrorism and jungle warfare training.
• INDINDO CORPAT: Coordinated naval patrol for security and surveillance in the Andaman Sea and the Malacca Strait.

JAIMEX25 – INS Sahyadri’s participation in the JapanIndia Maritime Exercise

Introduction

• JAIMEX25 is the JapanIndia Maritime Exercise that reinforces the ‘Special Strategic and Global Partnership’.
• It comprises Sea and Harbour Phases involving Indian and Japanese naval units.
• INS Sahyadri participated as part of its Long Range Deployment in the IndoPacific.

Why in news?

• INS Sahyadri took part in the Sea Phase from 16–18 October 2025.
• The Harbour Phase was conducted at Yokosuka, Japan, on 21 October 2025.

Background

• The exercise reflects the partnership established in 2014 between India and Japan.
• It aims to promote peace, stability, and security in the IndoPacific.
• It embodies a shared vision of a free, open, and inclusive maritime region.

Significance

• Enhances interoperability through advanced drills and coordinated operations.
• Strengthens professional and cultural ties via structured exchanges ashore.
• Showcases India’s indigenous defence capability, aligning with ‘Aatmanirbhar Bharat’.
• Contributes to regional stability by deepening practical naval cooperation.

Facts/General knowledge

• Sea Phase activities included:
• Advanced AntiSubmarine Warfare exercises.
• Missile defence drills.
• Flying operations.
• Underway replenishment.
• Participating units at sea:
• INS Sahyadri.
• JMSDF ships Asahi and Oumi.
• JMSDF submarine Jinryu.
• Harbour Phase at Yokosuka featured:
• Crossdeck visits.
• Operational planning.
• Sharing of best practices.
• A combined Yoga session.
• Other bilateral exercises between India and Japan:
• Malabar (Naval).
• Veer Guardian (Air Force).
• Dharma Guardian (Army).
• About INS Sahyadri:
• An indigenously built Shivalikclass Guided Missile Stealth Frigate, commissioned in 2012.
• Represents India’s advancement in indigenous defence technology.
• A multirole stealth frigate that has participated in numerous operational deployments as well as bilateral and multilateral naval exercises.

Exercise Ocean Sky 2025

Introduction

• A multinational air combat exercise in Spain involving friendly nations’ air forces.
• Designed to provide a dynamic setting for realistic simulations and multidomain air operations.

Why in news?

• The Indian Air Force recently participated to enhance cooperation and operational synergy.
• This follows the IAF’s induction of 16 Airbus C295 transport aircraft, boosting its airlift capabilities.

Background

• Hosted by the Spanish Air Force at Gando Air Base, Spain.
• Scheduled from 20 to 31 October.
• Objective: train for air superiority through defensive counterair (DCA) and offensive counterair (OCA) missions, simulating large combined air force engagements.
• Key focus areas include knowledge exchange, tactical refinement, interoperability enhancement, sharing operational doctrines, networkcentric warfare training, and multidomain air operations.

Significance

• Builds joint readiness for air superiority missions through complex, largeforce scenarios.
• Advances tactics and procedures via structured doctrine sharing in a highfidelity training environment.
• Deepens defence cooperation among participating air forces.

Facts/General knowledge

• Participants include Spain (host), Germany, Greece, Portugal, the United States, and India.
• Involves more than fifty aircraft, including F18M, Eurofighter, F16 variants, F15E, and Su30MKI fighters.
• The Indian contingent comprises fighter aircraft, flight crews, technical specialists, and mission analysts.
• Indian tasks include air combat, strike coordination, aerial refuelling, and electronic warfare practices.

Trishul2025

Introduction

• Trishul2025 is a TriServices Exercise to strengthen integrated operations across land, air, and sea.
• It is designed as a major joint activity to test capabilities across multiple domains and enhance cohesive operational readiness.

Why in news?

• India has begun the TriServices Exercise “Trishul2025”.

Background

• Coordinated by Headquarters Western Naval Command (Mumbai).
• Involves Southern Command (Army), Western Naval Command (Navy), and South Western Air Command (IAF).
• “Trinetra” and “Mahagujarat” function as subexercises under the larger annual TriServices Exercise Trishul2025.

Significance

• Validates joint procedures and strengthens network integration.
• Enhances interservice interoperability through coordinated multidomain operations.
• Verifies joint Intelligence, Surveillance and Reconnaissance (ISR), Electronic Warfare (EW), and Cyber Warfare plans.
• Demonstrates effective employment of indigenous systems and absorption of the tenets of ‘Aatmanirbhar Bharat’.
• Highlights strong interagency and multidomain integration.

Facts/General knowledge

• Conducted across the Sir Creek and desert sectors of Rajasthan–Gujarat, extending into the northern Arabian Sea.
• Supported by the Coast Guard, Border Security Force, and other agencies.
• Tests joint capabilities across land, air, sea, cyber, and space.

Drone Kavach Exercise 2025

Introduction

• Exercise Drone Kavach was conducted in the forward areas of Eastern Arunachal Pradesh from 25 to 28 September 2025.
• It centred on nextgeneration drone warfare and counterdrone technologies.

Why in news?

• A joint exercise featuring the Indian Army and the IndoTibetan Border Police (ITBP).
• Designed to demonstrate readiness in modern multidomain battlefields.

Background

• Organised by the Spear Corps under the Eastern Command of the Indian Army.
• Objective: validate stateoftheart drone technologies and counterdrone systems.

Significance

• Showcased the Army’s combat preparedness for contemporary operational environments.
• Provided valuable insights into drone warfare, enabling refinement of strategies for future battlefield scenarios.

Facts/General knowledge

• Focus areas included:
• Tactical manoeuvres and combat simulations.
• Target acquisition and neutralisation.
• Active and passive counterdrone measures.
• Development of unitlevel tactics and techniques.