Why India–China Military Drills Now Go Far Beyond Simple War Games

The growing frequency of joint military exercises in South Asia marks a shift from basic training to deeper strategic planning. India and China, through their respective partnerships with Nepal and Pakistan, are conducting more sophisticated drills that blend traditional combat training with modern technology, humanitarian operations, and relationship-building efforts.

Exercises such as India’s Suryakiran with Nepal and China’s Warrior IX with Pakistan show how military war games now serve as tools of deterrence, improved coordination, and geopolitical messaging—reshaping the security dynamics across the Himalayan region and beyond.