India-Indonesia Garud Shakti 2026: Day 6 jungle combat drills and drone ops
Synopsis
On Day 6 of Garud Shakti 2026 in Banyuwangi, Indian Army and Indonesian TNI-AD Special Forces paired centuries-old jungle-tracking fieldcraft with drone surveillance tech — a pairing that encapsulates how bilateral military exercises in the Indo-Pacific are evolving from symbolic handshakes into operationally serious counter-terror readiness programmes.
Key Takeaways
Indian Army and Indonesian Army (TNI-AD) Special Forces conducted simulated combat tracking drills in jungle terrain on Day 6 of Garud Shakti 2026.
Troops were trained in drone operations for surveillance, reconnaissance and situational awareness in dense jungle environments.
Earlier on Thursday , both sides completed live-fire training covering marksmanship, sniper firing and rapid transition fire.
Exercise Garud Shakti 2026 runs from 28 October to 6 November 2026 in Banyuwangi, Indonesia .
India is represented by the Parachute Regiment (Special Forces) ; Indonesia by the Indonesian Special Forces .
Training modules include jungle warfare, obstacle crossing, mountaineering, air assault and combat-hardening sessions.
Special Forces of the Indian Army and the Indonesian Army (TNI-AD) conducted simulated combat tracking drills in dense jungle terrain on Saturday, 1 November 2026, as part of the ongoing joint military exercise Garud Shakti 2026 in Banyuwangi, Indonesia. The drills form a critical segment of a broader two-week programme aimed at deepening defence interoperability between the two nations' elite units.
Day 6: Tracking, Drones and Fieldcraft
On Day 6 of the exercise, troops undertook specialised combat tracking training focused on pursuing a target's trail through ground-reading techniques honed for dense jungle conditions. The Indian Embassy in Jakarta, in a post on X, described the session as an exercise in 'reading' the jungle and 'mastering' the skies.
Alongside traditional fieldcraft, the Special Forces were also familiarised with the operational use of drones for surveillance, reconnaissance and situational awareness in jungle environments. According to the Embassy's post, the combination of niche technologies and classical skills was designed to ensure 'no trail goes cold and no threat is left unaddressed.'
Heli-Borne Operations and Patrolling Drills
Building on earlier slithering training, troops rehearsed the full sequence of helicopter-borne operations — from rapid insertion and securing of landing zones to tactical patrolling and mission execution in dense terrain. The Embassy noted these drills were aimed at building trust and confidence in each other's tactics, techniques and procedures (TTPs), while providing a platform to exchange best practices between the two forces.
Live-Fire Training Earlier in the Week
On Thursday, Special Forces personnel from both countries participated in live-fire training in Banyuwangi, covering marksmanship drills, sniper firing and rapid transition fire on the move — embodying the ethos of 'One Shot. One Kill.' The Embassy stated these tactical engagements are designed to 'sharpen individual skill, strengthen interoperability and bolster joint readiness,' laying the groundwork for deeper strategic collaboration against terrorism.
Exercise Scope and Participating Units
The India-Indonesia Joint Special Forces Exercise Garud Shakti 2026 commenced on Tuesday, 28 October 2026 in Banyuwangi and is scheduled to run until 6 November 2026. The Indian contingent is drawn from the Parachute Regiment (Special Forces), while Indonesia is represented by personnel from the Indonesian Special Forces.
According to the Ministry of Defence, the exercise aims to strengthen mutual understanding, cooperation and interoperability between the Special Forces of the two nations. Training modules span jungle warfare tactics, obstacle crossing, combat marksmanship, mountaineering, air assault training and combat-hardening sessions.
Strategic Context
Garud Shakti is a recurring bilateral exercise that reflects India's broader 'Act East' policy and its push to deepen strategic partnerships across Southeast Asia. This comes amid India's active engagement with ASEAN-region militaries, with joint exercises increasingly incorporating counter-terrorism and jungle warfare components that reflect shared threat perceptions in the Indo-Pacific. The involvement of elite Special Forces units from both sides signals that the exercise has evolved well beyond ceremonial military diplomacy into substantive operational readiness building.
The exercise is expected to conclude on 6 November 2026, with a formal closing ceremony anticipated in Banyuwangi.
Point of View
Not just photo-opportunity exercises. What is notable is the explicit framing around counter-terrorism, which aligns Indian and Indonesian threat perceptions at a time when both face domestic and regional extremism pressures. The deeper question is whether these exercises translate into actual joint rapid-response frameworks, or remain confined to the exercise ground in Banyuwangi.
NationPress
31 Oct 2026
Frequently Asked Questions
What is Exercise Garud Shakti 2026?
Garud Shakti 2026 is a joint military exercise between the Special Forces of the Indian Army and the Indonesian Army (TNI-AD), being held in Banyuwangi, Indonesia from 28 October to 6 November 2026. It focuses on jungle warfare operations, counter-terrorism tactics and building interoperability between the two nations' elite units.
What happened on Day 6 of Garud Shakti 2026?
On Day 6, Indian and Indonesian Special Forces undertook simulated combat tracking drills in jungle terrain, practising the art of pursuing a target's trail through specialised ground-reading. Troops also trained on the operational use of drones for surveillance and reconnaissance in dense jungle conditions.
Which units are participating in Garud Shakti 2026?
India is represented by troops from the Parachute Regiment (Special Forces), while Indonesia has fielded personnel from the Indonesian Special Forces (TNI-AD). Both contingents are among their respective armies' most elite formations.
What live-fire training took place during the exercise?
On Thursday during the exercise, Special Forces from both countries conducted live-fire training in Banyuwangi covering marksmanship drills, sniper firing and rapid transition fire on the move. The session was framed around the ethos of 'One Shot. One Kill.'
Why does Garud Shakti matter for India's defence strategy?
Garud Shakti is a key component of India's 'Act East' policy, aimed at deepening strategic ties with Southeast Asian nations. The exercise strengthens Special Forces interoperability and signals shared counter-terrorism priorities in the Indo-Pacific, a region of growing strategic competition.
