Australia Expands Talisman Sabre Military Drills

Exercise Talisman Sabre 2025, Australia's largest-ever biennial military drills, has started with over 35,000 personnel from 19 nations, including the Philippines as a new participant and activities in Papua New Guinea for the first time. Originally a US-Australia bilateral exercise, it now includes major allies such as the UK, Japan, France, Germany, and others to enhance regional security cooperation. Key components feature live-fire exercises using Australia's HIMARS rocket systems and complex amphibious operations with multinational forces. Chinese surveillance ships are routinely monitoring the drills, a practice ongoing since 2017, underscoring strategic competition in the Indo-Pacific. Australian officials have voiced concerns regarding China's ambitions in the South Pacific and are taking steps to mitigate intelligence risks. The expanded scope of Talisman Sabre reflects Australia's efforts to remain the preferred security partner in the region.