Rupal Kalebere
India’s defence engagements have seen a marked upswing in recent years, reflecting its aspirations to emerge as a net security provider and a key strategic actor in the evolving Indo-Pacific order. The month of March 2025 witnessed a dense calendar of international military diplomacy, ranging from multilateral exercises to bilateral consultations and humanitarian missions. This article analyses these engagements through a thematic lens to understand the evolution of India’s defence diplomacy.
1. Strategic Consolidation with Australia
India’s growing partnership with Australia was prominently visible through a series of high-profile engagements:
- Visit of Chief of Defence Staff (CDS) Gen Anil Chauhan (4–7 March) to Australia deepened military-to-military ties. He interacted with Australia’s Chief of Defence Force, visited the Australian Defence College, and participated in a strategic roundtable at the Lowy Institute. Key discussions centred on maritime security, joint operational planning, and professional military education.
- The 9th India-Australia Defence Policy Talks (17 March) further reviewed the progress of bilateral agreements and cooperation in domains such as reciprocal logistics, defence science and technology, and regional security frameworks.
- DG DIA Lt Gen DS Rana’s visit (19–21 March) marked enhanced cooperation on intelligence sharing and Indo-Pacific security architecture.
These engagements signal a maturing defence relationship under the Comprehensive Strategic Partnership framework, with increased convergence on Indo-Pacific security concerns.
2. Naval Diplomacy and SAGAR Initiatives
India’s maritime diplomacy took centre stage in March, reflecting New Delhi’s commitment to the SAGAR (Security and Growth for All in the Region) vision:
- The First Training Squadron (INS Shardul, INS Sujata, ICGS Veera) visited Thailand, conducting PASSEX and engaging with the Royal Thai Navy in professional exchanges and goodwill activities.
- INS Kuthar’s port call to Colombo reaffirmed ties with Sri Lanka, highlighting India’s ‘Neighbourhood First’ approach.
- INS Imphal’s participation in the Mauritius National Day celebrations with coordinated operations and outreach underlined India’s role as a maritime partner in the western Indian Ocean.
- The Indian Navy launched two maiden initiatives:
- Indian Ocean Ship SAGAR (IOS SAGAR): A multilateral deployment involving nine IOR partner countries.
- Africa India Key Maritime Engagement (AIKEYME): A joint maritime exercise with African nations co-hosted by India and Tanzania, focusing on maritime security and capacity building.
These initiatives marked a qualitative leap in India’s naval outreach, especially toward Africa and the Indian Ocean littoral.
3. Joint Exercises and Operational Collaboration
India continued to expand its defence interoperability through bilateral and multilateral exercises:
- Exercise Bongosagar 2025 and CORPAT with Bangladesh enhanced tactical coordination and surface warfare collaboration in the Bay of Bengal.
- Exercise KHANJAR-XII with Kyrgyzstan, held in Kyrgyz terrain, focused on counter-terrorism and special forces training in high-altitude environments.
- The Indian Navy and French Navy conducted the 23rd edition of Exercise VARUNA, showcasing joint air defence drills (Rafale-M and MiG-29K), anti-submarine operations, and logistical interoperability.
- India and Russia launched the 14th INDRA naval exercise (28 March–2 April) off Chennai, emphasizing maritime partnership and tactical cooperation.
- The Indian Air Force joined the multinational Exercise INIOCHOS-25 in Greece, operating alongside 15 nations in high-tempo air combat drills.
4. Defence Industry and Strategic Technology Cooperation
India leveraged high-level defence diplomacy to foster industrial collaboration:
- Meetings with Belgium, Netherlands, and Italy saw discussions on joint manufacturing, AI integration, space-based technologies, and institutionalised defence dialogue.
- Notably, Raksha Mantri Shri Rajnath Singh welcomed Belgian investment in India’s defence sector and explored collaborative prospects in the Indo-Pacific maritime domain.
- With the Netherlands, talks included potential cooperation in shipbuilding, AI, and space technologies under India’s ‘Aatmanirbhar Bharat’ framework.
These engagements reinforced India’s push for co-development and technology transfer, moving beyond buyer-seller dynamics.
5. Humanitarian Assistance and Disaster Response (HADR)
India reaffirmed its role as a regional first responder through Operation Brahma, launched after the Myanmar earthquake (28 March):
- A 118-member medical task force from the Indian Army was deployed to establish a 60-bed field hospital.
- The operation reflected India’s commitment to its Neighbourhood First policy and humanitarian ethos under ‘Vasudhaiva Kutumbakam’.
6. New Zealand and Western Pacific Engagements
The visit of Royal New Zealand Navy Chief RAdm Garin Golding and Prime Minister Christopher Luxon to India (16–21 March) expanded New Delhi’s naval engagements into the South Pacific. Engagements in Mumbai included tours of INS Surat, cross-deck visits, and planning for future maritime cooperation.
This emerging engagement demonstrates India’s outreach to like-minded countries beyond South Asia, reinforcing its Indo-Pacific partnerships.
India’s international defence engagements in March 2025 showcased a robust, multifaceted, and geographically diversified approach to defence diplomacy. The sustained focus on maritime cooperation, strategic partnerships, technology collaboration, and humanitarian aid underlines India’s emergence as a key security stakeholder in the Indo-Pacific and the global south. As India navigates evolving geopolitical challenges, its proactive defence diplomacy stands as both a pillar of its foreign policy and a catalyst for regional stability and resilience.