Why in news?
Exercise Bright Star is a major multilateral military drill hosted by Egypt in partnership with the United States, with its 19th edition taking place from August 28 to September 10, 2025 and involving over 700 personnel from the Indian Army, Navy, Air Force, and Headquarters Integrated Defence Staff.
 
Overview and History

• Exercise Bright Star originated in 1980 as a bilateral US-Egypt initiative and has grown to be one of the largest and longest-running tri-service drills in the Middle East–North Africa (MENA) region.
• Held biennially, it now involves up to 43 nations, with 13 sending troops and 30 acting as observers in 2025.
• The exercise’s roots trace back to fostering regional cooperation and interoperability among friendly nations.

Key Activities in 2025 Edition

• Live Firing Exercises: All three Indian services (Army, Navy, Air Force) will showcase their operational capabilities through land, air, and sea demonstrations.
• Command Post Exercises (CPX): These focus on sharpening joint planning, decision-making, and operational coordination in a multinational environment.
• Short Training Modules: Training includes modern warfare, cyber operations, joint logistics, and operational tactics.
• Subject Matter Expert Interactions: Knowledge exchange on domains including cyber warfare, logistics, and strategic communications promotes cutting-edge practices.

Strategic Importance

• For India: Participation underlines India’s commitment to regional peace and stability, strengthens tri-service synergy, and enhances jointness and interoperability with other nations.
• Defence Diplomacy: Bright Star provides a platform for promoting defence cooperation and multilateral partnerships, demonstrating India’s growing global military role and professionalism.
• Regional Security: The exercise builds capacity for coalition operations (including peacekeeping) and supports India’s SAGAR (Security and Growth for All in the Region) vision.

Scale and Participating Nations

• The 2025 edition sees over 7,900 troops from 43 countries taking part, emphasizing its significance and scale in multinational military collaboration.
• Key participants besides host Egypt and the United States include India, Saudi Arabia, Greece, France, Germany, Italy, Jordan, UAE, and more.

Conclusion
Exercise Bright Star is a landmark event in global military cooperation, enhancing India’s operational readiness and international defence partnerships while fostering peace and stability in the MENA region.

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