India Showcases Unified Security Front: Army, Navy, Air Force, and Police Conduct Coordinated Anti-Terror Drill in Mumbai

Against the backdrop of escalating hybrid warfare threats and heightened security concerns across critical urban centres, India’s armed forces and internal security agencies came together for a rare and powerful display of joint preparedness during a high-stakes Inter-Services Security Exercise held in Mumbai on May 30 and 31.

Conceived and led by the Indian Army, the two-day simulation unfolded across key strategic zones — the Army Training Area in Colaba, Force One’s elite training base, and the Bombay Stock Exchange (BSE), one of the most sensitive financial landmarks in the country. The operation was not just a drill; it was a message a demonstration of India’s resolve and readiness in the face of evolving non-conventional threats.

This comprehensive exercise brought under one operational umbrella the Indian Army, Navy, Air Force, Coast Guard, Force One (Maharashtra’s specialised counter-terror unit), and Mumbai Police agencies that would be on the frontline in the event of a major urban terror or asymmetric attack.

Over 48 hours, participating forces were tested across complex, high-pressure scenarios. Tactical response teams engaged in coordinated room interventions. Evacuation teams rehearsed swift medical responses under simulated fire. Communication grids were stress-tested through joint command-and-control simulations, while rapid deployment drills were carried out under clock-tight constraints.

These simulations weren’t just theoretical. They echoed the bitter lessons learned from past attacks like 26/11, where delays in coordination cost precious lives and exposed cracks in India’s internal security infrastructure. Since then, years of restructuring, investment, and inter-agency trust-building have transformed the response landscape and this week’s exercise was a vivid embodiment of that progress.

Senior commanders and top police officials monitored every move, ensuring that standard operating procedures (SOPs) weren’t just followed but pushed to their limits. The synergy on display across uniforms, jurisdictions, and command structures reflected a new era of cooperation in India’s national defence matrix.

“The threats we face today aren’t limited to borders,” one senior officer noted on the sidelines. “They seep into our cities, our data networks, our institutions. Exercises like this one ensure we’re not reacting, we're anticipating.”​