India is deploying more than 700 personnel from its Indian Army, Indian Navy, Indian Air Force, and Integrated Defence Staff to participate in the 19th edition of the multinational Exercise Bright Star, being held in Egypt from August 28 to September 10, 2025. Established as a bilateral U.S.–Egypt initiative in 1980, this biennial tri-service drill has grown into one of the region’s largest, with over 40 participating countries—13 sending troops and 30 joining as observers in 2025. The opening ceremony took place at the Mohamed Naguib Military Base, marking the commencement of a comprehensive schedule featuring live-firing across land, air, and sea platforms; command post exercises to bolster joint planning and operational coordination; short training sessions in modern warfare tactics; and expert-level seminars on strategic communication, cyber operations, and interoperability. India will highlight its “Make in India” defense innovations, showcasing indigenously developed systems such as the lightweight, man-portable Nagastra-1 loitering munition, the AI-enabled hybrid-electric SDE Spectre 2M drone, and the IdeaForge Switch unmanned platform, underscoring its self-reliance push and export ambitions toward Southeast Asia and Africa. Through this participation, India reinforces its commitment to regional peace and stability, strengthens military diplomacy, and advances its strategic footprint in North Africa and the broader Indo-Pacific.