Thiruvananthapuram, Oct. 19 -- The India-Australia Joint Military Exercise AUSTRAHIND 2026 began on Monday at the Foreign Training Node in Thiruvananthapuram, Keralam, with a focus on coordinated operations in coastal and island terrain, surveillance and reconnaissance, the Ministry of Defence said.

Scheduled to run from October 19 to November 1, the fifth edition of the exercise will involve approximately 120 personnel each from the Indian Army and the Australian Army. The previous edition took place at Irwin Barracks in Perth, Australia, from October 13 to 26, 2025.

The Indian contingent includes troops from the Garhwal Rifles, along with personnel from other arms and services. The Australian contingent comprises troops from 13 Brigad...