India, US launch largest-ever ground combat exercise as part of strategic partnership – Times of India

NEW DELHI: India and the US on Monday began their largest-ever ground combat exercise Called ‘Yudh Abhyas’ at the overseas training centre at Mahajan Shooting Ranges in Rajasthan, with an aim to further improve skills military interoperability and sharpen their fighting skills.
The 20^and edition of the Yudh Abhyas The exercise “marks a significant increase in the size and complexity of the joint exercise in terms of troop strength and equipment,” an army officer said.
India has deployed 600 soldiers from the Rajput Regiment, along with some personnel from other arms and services, for the 21-day exercise. The US contingent, in turn, has around 600 troops from the 1-24 Battalion of the Alaska-based 11th Airborne Division of the US Army.
“The exercise will enhance the combined military capacity of both sides to conduct counter-terrorism operations in a sub-conventional scenario under Chapter VII of the UN Charter. The exercise will focus on operations in the semi-desert environment,” the officer said.
During the exercise, tactical exercises will be practiced, such as the joint response to a terrorist action, planning and combined field exercises simulating realistic counter-terrorism missions.
“It will enable both sides to share best practices in tactics, techniques and procedures for conducting joint operations. It will facilitate interoperability, bonhomie and camaraderie between the two militaries,” he added.
India and the US have steadily increased the scope, power, complexity and frequency of their exercises as part of their ‘strategic partnership and convergence’ over the years.
They range from the bilateral exercises “Vajra Prahar” and “Yudh Abhyas” between their armies to the quadrilateral Malabar war games with Australia and Japan. India is now planning to host the next edition of the Malabar exercise in October in the Bay of Bengal amid China’s growing strategic footprint in the Indian Ocean, as first reported by TOI.
As part of the extensive bilateral defense partnership, the US has also inked lucrative Indian defense deals worth over $21 billion since 2007. Two major projects now in the pipeline are the procurement of 31 armed MQ-9B Predator or Reaper drones worth about $3 billion and the joint production of GE-F414 jet engines for the Tejas Mark-II fighter aircraft in India, with 80% technology transfer for about $1 billion.