Canberra: Australia has launched its biggest-ever military exercise, Talisman Sabre 2025, in Sydney, marking a major show of global defence cooperation. More than 35,000 troops from 19 countries, including Australia and the United States, are taking part in the massive drills, the Australian Ministry of Defence confirmed on Monday.
Originally a bilateral exercise between Australia and the US, Talisman Sabre was first held in 2005. Now in its 11th edition, the 2025 iteration is the largest to date, with participating forces assembling for an opening ceremony aboard the Royal Australian Navy’s HMAS Adelaide at Garden Island, Sydney.
According to the US Embassy in Australia, the joint exercises will span over three weeks and will see military deployments across Queensland, Northern Territory, Western Australia, New South Wales, and Christmas Island. For the first time, certain operations will also extend beyond Australian borders, with activities scheduled in Papua New Guinea. Malaysia and Vietnam will join as observers.
In addition to the US and Australia, the participating nations include Canada, Fiji, France, Germany, India, Indonesia, Japan, the Netherlands, New Zealand, Norway, Papua New Guinea, the Philippines, the Republic of Korea, Singapore, Thailand, Tonga, and the United Kingdom.
Exercise Talisman Sabre 2025 will include live-fire drills, amphibious landings, ground force manoeuvres, air combat simulations, maritime operations, and training across space and cyber domains. The training is designed to enhance joint readiness and interoperability among allies in the Indo-Pacific region.
Australian Chief of Joint Operations, Vice Admiral Justin Jones, described the exercise as a unique platform to train across all domains of warfare. “It remains a powerful demonstration of Australia’s enduring commitment to strengthening relationships between trusted allies and partners in support of a peaceful, stable and sovereign Indo-Pacific,” he said.
Vice Admiral Jones also acknowledged the cooperation of local communities, traditional landowners, and state authorities in facilitating the safe planning and execution of the exercise.
Lieutenant General Joel B. Vowell, Deputy Commanding General of the US Army Pacific, emphasised the importance of the exercise for regional security. “Talisman Sabre 2025 is a powerful demonstration of combined strength, trust, interoperability, and readiness across the Indo-Pacific,” he noted. “Together, we are building tactical trust, practising operational manoeuvres, and reaffirming our strategic commitment to a free and open Indo-Pacific.”
The exercise underscores the growing emphasis on multinational defence collaboration amid rising geopolitical tensions in the region.
