Zapad Military Exercise 2025

The Indian Armed Forces have deployed a contingent of 65 personnel to participate in the multilateral military exercise Zapad 2025. The exercise is scheduled from 10 to 16 September 2025 at the Mulino Training Ground in Russia. This participation marks step in enhancing India’s defence cooperation with Russia and other participating nations amid growing geopolitical tensions in Eastern Europe.
Indian Contingent
The Indian contingent includes 57 Army personnel, 7 from the Air Force, and 1 from the Navy. The battalion of the Kumaon Regiment leads the Army contingent, supported by troops from various arms and services. The joint force reflects India’s integrated military approach to multinational exercises.
Objectives
Zapad 2025 focuses on improving interoperability and military cooperation among over 20 countries, including India, Iran, and China. The exercise emphasises conventional warfare and counter-terrorism operations. Troops will engage in joint planning, tactical drills, and special arms training in open terrain to simulate realistic combat scenarios.
Operational Activities
The drills involve company-level joint operations, combining emerging technologies with traditional military tactics. The exercise aims to enhance operational capabilities in a multinational combat environment. It also serves as a platform for exchanging tactics, techniques, and procedures among participating forces.
Geopolitical Context
Zapad 2025 is conducted near NATO’s eastern frontier, prompting security measures by neighbouring states. Poland has closed its border with Belarus citing national security concerns. Lithuania and NATO have reinforced their border defences. The scale and opacity of the drills have raised suspicions among NATO members about Russia’s strategic intentions.
Diplomatic and Security Fallout
The Belarusian government protested Poland’s border closure, calling it an abuse of geography. Tensions between Poland and Belarus have escalated since Russia’s 2022 invasion of Ukraine. Poland has arrested a Belarusian spy and expelled a diplomat, while the Czech Republic and Romania have taken similar counter-espionage actions.
Military Significance
Zapad 2025 includes nuclear-related drills and tests of the hypersonic Oreshnik missile system. These elements demonstrate Russia’s deterrence posture and signal its military readiness. NATO views the timing and scale of the exercise as a potential risk for escalation in Eastern Europe.