What Is India's 'Operation Trishul' and Why Has it Left Pakistan Terrified?

India has launched a major tri-service military exercise, "Operation Trishul," on the border with Pakistan, involving the Army, Navy, and Air Force. The 12-day exercise, which began on Thursday and will run until November 10, is a significant display of military readiness aimed at safeguarding territories and deterring potential threats.

Key Focus: Gujarat and Rajasthan Frontiers

The large-scale maneuvers are being conducted across the states of Gujarat and Rajasthan, with a specific focus on the Kutch region, which is considered a potential flashpoint between the two nations, especially due to its proximity to the disputed Sir Creek area.

The exercise will test the Indian armed forces' preparedness for offensive and defensive operations, simulating strikes into southern Pakistan and practicing joint combat drills across diverse terrains.

Key assets deployed for the operation include:

Army: Over 20,000 soldiers, T-90 battle tanks, BrahMos missile units, Akash missile defence system units.

Air Force: Rafale and Sukhoi Su-30 fighter aircraft, Prachand attack helicopters, and Sea Guardian and Heron drones.

Navy: Kolkata-class destroyers and Nilgiri-class frigates.

Strategic Context: The Sir Creek Dispute

The operation comes shortly after a stern warning from Defence Minister Rajnath Singh against any attempt by Pakistan to illegally occupy India's half of the disputed Sir Creek region.

"Should Pakistan undertake any misadventure in the Sir Creek area, it will be met with such a decisive response that it would alter both history and geography," the Defence Minister stated, following intelligence reports of Pakistan establishing military complexes and mini-cantonments in the 96-kilometre tidal estuary that separates Gujarat's Rann of Kutch from Pakistan's Sindh province.

Operation Trishul is the nation's second major exercise against Pakistan, following "Operation Sindoor" earlier this year. Its timing and scale are clearly intended to convey a strong message to Islamabad against indulging in any mischief.

Pakistan Trembles With Fear

India's massive military drill has led to a significant response from the Pakistani side. Pakistan shut down many sectors of its airspace by expanding its existing Notice to Airmen (NOTAM) just hours before the Indian exercise was set to begin. This was in response to a NOTAM issued by India restricting its own airspace—up to a ceiling of 28,000 feet—over central India, including the crucial air traffic hubs of Nagpur, Bhopal, and Indore, for the duration of Operation Trishul.

Further demonstrating heightened alert, Pakistan scrambled its fighter jets from three key bases—Shorkot, Risalpur, and Mianwali—conducting multiple sorties early on Thursday morning, just minutes before India's NOTAM for "Trishul" was activated. This immediate reaction highlights the strategic impact and perceived threat of the massive Indian tri-service mobilization near the western border.

Naming of Operation Trishul

The Trishul (meaning "trident") is a divine weapon in Hinduism closely associated with Lord Shiva. It symbolizes power and is famously known as the weapon Shiva used to destroy evil forces. The name of the operation has been derived from the term “Trishul” to send across the message that India is capable of taking on its enemies through the exercise. 

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