India and US kick-start mega military drills in Uttarakhand

New Delhi: The armies of India and the US on Tuesday began an over two-week mega military exercise at a military facility in Uttarakhand with an aim to exchange best practices and tactics in sync with growing defence ties between the two countries.

The 'Yudh Abhyas' exercise began amid the 30-month border standoff between India and China in eastern Ladakh.

The exercise is conducted annually between India and the US. The previous edition of the exercise was conducted at Joint Base Elmendorf Richardson, Alaska (the US) in October last year.

Officials said the 18th edition of the exercise began on Tuesday and will end in the first week of December.

US Army soldiers of second brigade of the 11th Airborne division and Indian Army soldiers from the Assam Regiment will be participating in the exercise.

The Army said the scope of the field training exercise includes validation of integrated battle groups, force multipliers, establishment and functioning of surveillance grids, validation of operational logistics and mountain warfare skills.

The exercise will involve exchanges and practices on a wide spectrum of combat skills including combat engineering, employment of Unmanned Aircraft Systems (UAS and counter UAS techniques and information operations.

The Indian Army said the exercise will facilitate both Armies to share their wide experiences, skills and enhance their techniques through information exchange.

"The training schedule focuses on employment of an integrated battle group under Chapter VII of the UN Mandate. The schedule will include all operations related to peacekeeping and peace enforcement," it said in a statement.