Context: Recently, an Indian Air Force (IAF) contingent departed to participate in Exercise BRIGHT STAR-23, scheduled to be held at Cairo (West) Air Base, Egypt, from 27 August to 16 September 2023.

About Exercise BRIGHT STAR

• Exercise BRIGHT STAR  is a multinational tri-services joint military exercise that will be led by US CENTCOM and the Egyptian Army.

• The exercise was initially started as a bilateral training event between the US and Egypt, dating back to the Camp David Accord in 1977.The first exercise took place in 1980. Since 1995, other countries have also joined in.

• The previous Exercise BRIGHT STAR in 2021 involved the armed forces of 21 countries. 

• Exercise BRIGHT STAR 2023 will include the participation of 34 countries, making it the largest-ever joint military drill in the Middle East and North Africa region.

• This is also the first time that Indian Armed Forces will be participating in the exercise.

• Participating countries: United States of America, Saudi Arabia, Greece and Qatar.

• The Indian Air Force contingent will consist of five MiG-29, two IL-78, two C-130 and two C-17 aircraft.

• Personnel from the IAF's Garud Special Forces, as well as those from the Numbers 28, 77, 78 and 81 Squadrons, will be participating in the exercise.

Its objective 

• The exercise will consist of a large number of training activities focused on combating emerging unconventional threats and enhancing regional partnerships amongst participating nations aimed at maintaining world peace.

• In addition, the exercise will also include a combined arms live firing exercise based on a tactical setting. 

• To practice planning and execution of joint operations. Besides leading to the formation of bonding across borders, such interactions also provide a means to further strategic relations between participating nations.

• India and Egypt have had an exceptional relationship and deep cooperation wherein the two jointly undertook the development of aero-engine and aircraft in the 1960s, and training of Egyptian pilots was done by Indian counterparts.

• Further, a panel discussion on contemporary topics is also planned to be conducted on Cyber Security for which the Indian Armed Forces are the lead force.